Drivers remain unaware of car crash causing behaviors

As early estimations from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate a decrease in car crash fatalities, a recent study by Arity reveals a concerning trend: drivers remain largely unaware of common behaviors known to cause accidents, such as speeding and hard braking. Despite infrastructure improvements and stricter vehicle standards, a significant knowledge gap persists regarding the risks associated with these behaviors. 

Gary Hallgren, president of Arity, believes bridging that gap is critical to preventing accidents and reducing insurance premiums. In this Q&A, Gary shares insights into the misconceptions drivers hold, the critical role of individual responsibility in road safety, and how technology and data analytics can drive positive change in driving habits.

Q: Can you elaborate on the knowledge gap between driving behaviors and their association with crashes? What specific misconceptions do drivers have?

A: Most U.S. drivers would say that distractions, such as texting and driving, or driving under the influence are the main causes of car accidents, but that’s not entirely the case. The knowledge gap that exists between drivers and the driving behaviors that cause crashes is largely from a lack of awareness about how certain behaviors directly contribute to the risk of accidents. 

For example, let’s say you’re driving on a busy highway and see a car zigzagging through traffic. You might think, “that car is being reckless.” So, what is that car doing that’s so dangerous? It’s speeding, hard-braking, and repeatedly accelerating. Yet, in a survey recently conducted by Arity, almost half of U.S. drivers do not view hard-braking (38%) and speeding (42%) as dangerous behavior, even ranking fast acceleration (28%) as the least dangerous.

This is likely due to drivers underestimating the impact of these behaviors, so much so that a common misconception is that these behaviors are only dangerous under specific conditions, such as bad weather. However, in our regular day-to-day lives, these behaviors can significantly increase the chance of a crash by reducing reaction time and vehicle control, which is why it’s so important for drivers to understand and bridge this gap.

Q: Despite improvements in infrastructure and vehicle standards, why do you think drivers are still less concerned with behaviors like speeding, hard braking, and fast acceleration?

A: In small doses, these are behaviors that we all exhibit at any given time when we drive, especially if we live in a city or urban area. However, modern infrastructure and new vehicle standards have created a false sense of safety among drivers. I believe that this has led the average driver to dismiss these behaviors as dangerous because they believe that these safety features and infrastructure will compensate for actions like speeding, hard braking, and fast acceleration. That’s not always the case, which is why accidents still tend to happen despite these improvements.

Q: Arity found that 79% of drivers believe individual responsibility is crucial for road safety. What steps can individual drivers take to bridge the knowledge gap and adopt safer driving habits?

A: My biggest advice to individual drivers who want to bridge this knowledge gap and become safer is to educate themselves and act on that education. 

Once we pass our driver’s test and earn our driver’s license, learning about driving often ends there. Arity’s report also found that 59% of U.S. drivers say improving driver education would have the biggest impact on safety—so why aren’t we as drivers putting in the effort to continue learning? 

Drivers need to become more educated about the risks associated with various driving behaviors and become more conscious of their driving habits, specifically speeding, hard braking, and acceleration. Leveraging technology is a good place to start. For example, drivers can enroll in safe driving insurance programs. Enrolling in a defensive driving course or training to stay attuned to safe driving practices is also beneficial. Overall, being an active participant in your own driving safety and that of others on the road is critical to bridging the knowledge gap between common and dangerous driving behaviors.

As a data-driven company, Arity uses insights to shape products and drive industry-wide change. We’re committed to fostering collaboration across the transportation sector to build safer roads. By leveraging driving data, we can pinpoint high-risk areas, guide targeted safety initiatives, and educate stakeholders on their critical roles in enhancing road safety.

Q: In what ways can technology and data analytics promote safer driving behaviors?

A: Technology and data analytics can promote safe driving by providing real-time feedback through programs that monitor driving behaviors. Predictive analytics can also forecast the likelihood of a crash based on past and current behaviors, highlighting areas where drivers need to focus on improving their education and behavior. Overall, technology is crucial in analyzing patterns in driving data to identify risky behaviors and thus help prevent future crashes.

Q: Insurance premiums are often a concern for drivers. How can better driving behaviors, influenced by increased awareness and education, lead to reduced insurance costs? 

A: Better driving behaviors directly correlate with a reduced risk of accidents, which in turn can lower insurance costs. Most insurance companies utilize telematics data to assess these driving habits. Participation in these programs is completely voluntary for drivers, and typically, those who enroll are already relatively safe drivers. An unsafe driver likely wouldn’t sign up for a program that penalizes their poor driving behaviors. However, they might be incentivized to improve their behaviors through a usage-based program if it could lead to a decrease in their overall rates.

By adopting these programs, and therefore safer behaviors, drivers not only reduce their risk of being involved in accidents but also demonstrate to insurers that they are a low-risk client, leading to favorable rates.