CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WHAT: Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), the world’s leader in mobile telematics and analytics, conducted a survey outlining how US drivers believe they drive, versus how they actually drive. The findings were alarming, revealing that the 100 days between Memorial and Labor Day are some of the most dangerous and deadliest of the year for driving. And further, a disconnect exists between how US drivers think they drive and how they are actually driving with summer Fridays, holiday celebrations and the lure of sun, sea and surf creating a perfect storm for driver distraction that many are not even aware of.
The study, supported by CMT data from 100 million trips across the U.S., revealed that Memorial Day is by far the deadliest day to be behind the wheel, while July 4th is the most congested. Likewise, drivers should also be conscious at the end of the summer on Labor Day Weekend for dangerous incidences of distraction, braking and speeding. Other findings:
● American drivers are in the dark when it comes to driving dangers, with most thinking New Year’s Eve is the most dangerous when in fact Memorial Day is the deadliest date
● Distraction is a major issue with over 40% of summer trips distracted, including Miami where 43% of drivers are paying attention to their phone instead of the road
● “It’s not me, it’s them” said 87% of drivers who agree others drive badly during the summer holiday season (due to distraction, driving under the influence and speeding)
● Drivers are bringing their work on the road with 37% of drivers confessing they still think about work until they are at least halfway to their destination, with almost a quarter of Americans admitting to multitasking for at least half of the trip while driving
WHERE: The most dangerous drivers can be found in Rhode Island, Florida, Louisiana and Hawaii. Further:
● The Hamptons tops the charts for summer speeding, with 55% of summer drivers in excess of the speed limit as they rush to the beaches (with Jacksonville, D.C., Portland and Milwaukee rounding out the top five speedsters on over half of trips)
● Beware the fender benders in California, Washington, New Jersey, Georgia and Connecticut where drivers are most prone to hard braking
● Most distracted drivers (longest periods of distraction) occur in Rhode Island, Hawaii, Florida, Louisiana and Massachusetts
You can see the full report and learn more about summer driving danger zones here.
WHO:
CMT's mission is to make the world’s roads and drivers safer. CMT’s award-winning DriveWell platform measures driving quality, scores driving performance, incentivizes safer driving, and provides crash and claims services for insurers, rideshares, and fleets. Since its first product launch in 2012 that pioneered mobile usage-based insurance, CMT has become the world's largest and leading mobile telematics and analytics company with its phone-only and phone+tag programs to measure driving risk, lower insurer loss ratios, and improve crash-and-claims services. The DriveWell platform is used by over 35 leading insurers, commercial fleets, cellular carriers, and other organizations in more than 20 countries, improving safety for millions of users. To learn more, please visit cmtelematics.com and follow CMT on Twitter @cmtelematics.
