The national survey known as the 2021 Travelers Risk Index on distracted driving showed some illuminating findings on safety on the roads in the US. Luckily, one in four drivers thinks that roads are safer today than they were before the pandemic. However, alarmingly, a growing number of respondents reported using their mobile devices in unsafe ways while driving, including:

• Texting or emailing (26%, up from 19% pre-pandemic).
• Checking social media (20%, up from 13% pre-pandemic).
• Taking videos and pictures (19%, up from 10% pre-pandemic).
• Shopping online (17%, up from 8% pre-pandemic).

In that sense, the findings are twofold. Even though people feel safer on the roads, reality shows quite the contrary. According to the National Safety Council, 2020 motor vehicle deaths were up 8% from 2019. It makes it the highest percentage increase in 13 years.

Chris Hayes, the Second Vice President of Workers Compensation and Transportation, Risk Control, at Travelers commented on the current state of road safety: “Not only did distracted driving increase, data from our telematics product IntelliDrive shows that speeding also became more prevalent. As travel restrictions are lifted around the country, it’s critical to slow down and stay focused on the road by eliminating distractions.”