WASHINGTON, D.C. — While daily traffic volume remains below pre-pandemic levels, distracted driving incidents are climbing at an alarming rate, according to the 2021 Travelers Insurance Risk Index. Despite a significant drop in the number of daily drivers from 63% before the pandemic to 47% today, passenger vehicle operators are engaging with mobile devices behind the wheel more frequently than ever before.

This shift in behavior creates a dangerous environment for every CDL-A driver sharing the highway with four-wheelers. Nearly 25% of survey respondents falsely believe that emptier roads are inherently safer, leading to a dangerous sense of complacency. Nearly one-third of these drivers claim their personal driving skills have improved since the pandemic, a delusion that often precedes high-speed accidents involving heavy-duty trucks.

The data reveals a sharp increase in specific high-risk behaviors. Texting or emailing behind the wheel jumped to 26%, up from 19% pre-pandemic. Social media usage while driving climbed to 20%, while photo and video capture rose to 19%. Perhaps most concerning for those looking for trucking companies hiring is that online shopping while driving has more than doubled, now sitting at 17%.

What This Means for Drivers

Professional drivers are already subject to strict mobile device bans under existing FMCSA regulations, but this new data proves that the primary threat on the road is no longer the professional, but the distracted motorist. An OTR truck driver must now maintain a higher level of defensive vigilance to compensate for passenger vehicles weaving through lanes while their drivers shop or scroll. If you are an owner-operator, the financial and legal liability of a collision involving a distracted four-wheeler can be devastating to your business, regardless of fault.

Industry Reaction

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is actively backing the Safe to Drive Act, which would provide federal grants to states that implement comprehensive bans on mobile device use. Dan Horvath, ATA Vice President of Safety Policy, pointed out that the trucking industry has long adhered to these bans and has directly witnessed the safety benefits. He emphasized that since the vast majority of collisions between passenger vehicles and trucks are caused by the passenger driver, extending these strict bans to all motorists is a necessary step to save lives on the interstate.

Key Points

• Texting and emailing while driving increased to 26% among survey respondents.
• Social media usage while operating a vehicle hit 20%, up from 13%.
• The percentage of drivers taking photos or videos while moving rose to 19%.
• Online shopping while driving has more than doubled to 17% since the pandemic.

Looking for a better trucking job? US Trucker's free job-matching service connects CDL-A drivers, OTR drivers, regional drivers, and owner-operators with 500+ top US carriers. Leave your details in the form on this page and a recruiter will call you within one business day. Trucking companies are hiring now.

Photo by Abhishek Navlakha on Pexels