Driver distraction is on the increase according to a new report reviewing driver behaviour in Germany from Allianz a global insurer. Drivers are getting significantly distracted due to use of modern technology. "It has been confirmed for the first time in Germany that distraction is the most underestimated cause of accidents on our roads," says Jörg Kubitzki, safety researcher at the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) and author of the Allianz study.

The report states that distractions led by use of modern technology while driving increase the risk of accidents by 50%. Unsurprisingly the use of on-board computer menu has alarmingly increased, taking it from 28% in 2016 to 87% in 2022.  

According to another recent news report, WA plans to launch mobile road safety cameras following a  six-month trial in which more than 100,000 drivers were detected speeding or on phones.

During the trial, which was launched last July, 8 million vehicles were monitored at almost 100 locations. Around 42,000 people were recorded exceeding the speed limit while a staggering 66,000 drivers were snapped on phones compared with less than 5000 caught committing the same offence in WA during all of 2021.

The decision to conduct the trial came after 166 deaths and almost 1600 serious injuries were reported on WA roads in 2021, with speed and inattention identified as leading contributors.

This data has implications for local government fleet managers looking to understand fleet risks and reduce incidents. In the past five years (2018 to 2023), LGIS have received 5,107 claims costing around $26M, of which member at fault claims were 3,179 amounting to $18.4M.

The Allianz study also reflects a major development with texting now the main mobile phone offence committed by drivers, outnumbering talking over the phone. Drivers who pick up their smartphone to read or send a text increased by almost two-thirds between 2016 and 2022, from 15 to 24%.

Findings further reveal that drivers are picking up their smartphones behind the wheels not only for selecting music but also for playing games, looking at pictures and surfing the internet. In 2016, only 6% drivers were involved in these activities but by 2022, the number increased to 22%.

The German research found that younger drivers between the ages on 18-24 were most likely to use smartphones when behind the wheel.

For more information on fleet risk management, get in touch with your account manager.