New research also reveals percentage of
passengers who tell drivers to stop texting and
whether it makes a difference
ERIE,
Pa., April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Some experts
believe that for society at large to stop a negative behavior, it
has to become socially unacceptable. So where does society stand on
texting while driving? To encourage safe driving by raising
awareness of the dangers of distracted driving, Erie Insurance
commissioned a national survey conducted online by The Harris Poll
to find out.
The survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults asked people not for
their personal opinions, but rather how they think society as a
whole views the behavior. Almost three-quarters (73%) think texting
while driving is considered socially unacceptable – but that leaves
27% who think it's considered socially acceptable – either very
(9%) or somewhat (18%).
As for their inclination to speak up, nine out of 10 Americans
(90%) say if they were a passenger in a motor vehicle and the
driver started texting, they would be likely to tell them to stop.
Why wouldn't the remaining 10% say something? Thirty-seven percent
don't feel it's their place to tell a driver what to do, while one
in five (21%) say it's because they text while driving, too.
Below are the top 5 reasons passengers wouldn't tell a driver to
stop texting.
I don't feel it's my
place to tell the driver what to do.
|
37 %
|
I wouldn't want to
start an argument.
|
33 %
|
It would be
uncomfortable to say something.
|
32 %
|
I do it,
too.
|
21 %
|
It doesn't bother me
when someone texts while driving.
|
21 %
|
I wouldn't want to
offend the driver.
|
13 %
|
One in five American drivers (20%) say they've been told by a
passenger to stop texting while they were driving. Of those, 10%
kept doing it anyway. About half (47%) stopped but did it again
later when that passenger was not in the vehicle with them.
Forty-three percent, however, stopped texting and never did it
again.
"We were encouraged to see that passengers can make a difference
in getting drivers to change their behavior," said Bob Buckel, vice president & product
manager, Erie Insurance. "The more people speak up about unsafe
distracted driving behaviors like texting, the less people will do
it and the safer roads will be for everyone."
To help people who wouldn't speak up because they wouldn't want
to offend the driver or feel it would be uncomfortable to say
something, ERIE reached out to a
psychology professor whose areas of study include vulnerable road
users, driver training, driving styles and hazard perception in
driving.
"If you are in a car and the driver starts texting, you could
say, 'It looks like you really need to be texting someone right now
so why don't you let me drive? I can drive and you can text, and
once we get to our destination, you can get back into the driver's
seat,'" said Stanislaw Kolek,
visiting assistant professor at Allegheny
College in Meadville, Pa.
"It's a way to get them to realize that the behavior is not wanted
and that you've already come up with a solution. Asking them if you
can be the driver in that situation is usually a very
non-antagonistic way of getting yourself out of a dangerous
situation."
The majority of Americans (87%) think passengers should tell
drivers to stop texting because the problem will only be solved
when it becomes socially unacceptable, while 9% say passengers
should not speak up because it should be up to the driver to decide
for themselves whether to text while driving. Only 3% say
passengers should not tell drivers to stop texting while driving
because there's nothing wrong with it.
Click here to learn more and see an infographic on the survey
results
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
about 3,000 people are killed in distracted driving crashes each
year.
About the Survey:
This survey was conducted online
within the United States by The
Harris Poll on behalf of Erie Insurance from January 31 - February 2, 2023 among 2,060 U.S.
adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a
Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data
is accurate to within +/- 2.8 percentage points using a 95%
confidence level. For complete survey methodology, including
weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact
raychel.adiutori@erieinsurance.com.
About Erie Insurance
According to A.M. Best Company,
Erie Insurance Group, based in Erie,
Pennsylvania, is the 11th largest homeowners insurer, 13th
largest automobile insurer and 13th largest commercial lines
insurer in the United States based
on direct premiums written. Founded in 1925, Erie Insurance is a
Fortune 500 company and the 19th largest property/casualty insurer
in the United States based on
total lines net premium written. Rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best,
ERIE has more than 6 million
policies in force and operates in 12 states and the District of Columbia. News releases and more
information are available on ERIE's website at www.erieinsurance.com.
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SOURCE Erie Insurance Group