2017 Driving in America Report: The Costs and Risks

Driving has lengthy been central to American tradition, and we’re on the highway now greater than ever: We drive over 3 trillion miles annually, and that quantity retains going up, in accordance with the U.S. Division of Transportation. Add to these numbers the rising risks of distracted driving and you’ve got a mixture that’s leading to extra automobile accidents — and extra deaths.

To look at the state of driving within the U.S., BaghdadTime used business information sources to investigate prices related to driving. We additionally commissioned a survey of over 2,000 U.S. adults performed on-line by Harris Ballot to study extra in regards to the nation’s drivers. See the methodologies on the finish of this report for particulars about our evaluation and the survey.

• Good drivers might be lacking out on saving $416.52 a yr, on common nationwide, by not purchasing round for automobile insurance coverage, BaghdadTime’s evaluation discovered. Residents of Delaware, Michigan and Connecticut stand to lose out on essentially the most cash, as much as $1,845.59 yearly on common.

• 38% of People who’ve automobile insurance coverage haven’t checked the value, or in contrast prices, of their present automobile insurance coverage in a minimum of three years (or ever), in accordance with our survey.

• Shoppers and insurers pay a excessive worth for auto insurance coverage fraud as a result of padded claims, which totaled almost $6 billion for bodily damage and private damage safety claims in 2013, in accordance with BaghdadTime’s evaluation of the most-recent business information.

• 10% of People who’ve ever had automobile insurance coverage admit to deliberately offering inaccurate info when buying a brand new automobile insurance coverage coverage, our survey discovered.

• Of People in our survey who’ve pushed prior to now 12 months, 67% have used a mobile phone whereas driving throughout that point. That habits can result in loss of life: Probably the most-recent information present that 10% of deadly crashes concerned distracted driving in 2015, and the driving force was utilizing a mobile phone in 14% of these, in accordance with the Division of Transportation.

BaghdadTime’s evaluation reveals that drivers with out tickets or violations could also be lacking out on saving $416.52 a yr, on common nationwide, by failing to examine automobile insurance coverage.

As well as, 38% of People who presently have automobile insurance coverage say that they haven’t worth checked their insurance coverage by evaluating it with quotes from different firms in a minimum of three years (or ever), the survey discovered. Greater than 1 in 5 (21%) haven’t checked in a minimum of three years and 17% haven’t checked in any respect.

However over 1 / 4 (28%) of People who presently have automobile insurance coverage suppose they pay an excessive amount of for it. Amongst those that presently have automobile insurance coverage, our survey discovered that:

• 1 in 3 millennials (33% of these ages 18-34) suppose they pay an excessive amount of for it. They’re additionally least prone to have in contrast insurance coverage quotes: 26% of those youthful adults say they’ve by no means worth checked automobile insurance coverage, in contrast with 14% of adults ages 35 and older. Out of all adults, 17% say they’ve by no means worth checked their insurance coverage.

• People whose annual family earnings is $50,000 to $74,999 are extra possible (37%) to suppose they’re paying an excessive amount of for his or her automobile insurance coverage than these (24%) whose annual family earnings is $75,000 or larger.

Procuring round for automobile insurance coverage can repay due to the sophisticated methods insurers decide charges. Along with components you would possibly count on — like driving historical past and your automobile — your credit score, the place you reside, your age and different components play a task. And every insurer calculates charges in another way.

Auto insurers routinely increase costs when insurance policies are renewed, which is usually each six months or yearly. It’s sensible to examine insurance coverage quotes commonly to see for those who’re getting a superb worth. As well as, examine charges if you:

• Add or take away autos in your coverage.

• Have a life change akin to marriage, job swap or retirement.

One in 10 People who’ve ever had automobile insurance coverage (10%) have lied about their private or automobile info when buying a brand new coverage, our survey discovered. Individuals ages 18-34 are twice as possible as these 35 and older to mislead insurers (16% vs. 8%), and males usually tend to mislead insurers than girls (12% vs. 7%).

Deceptive insurers can backfire: For those who get into an accident and your insurer discovers your utility had false info, the corporate might deny your declare.

Whereas some customers suppose they pay an excessive amount of for automobile insurance coverage, others might imagine little of padding claims by overstating harm or accidents. The additional cash they get from declare funds is both swallowed by insurers or handed on to the remainder of us within the type of larger insurance coverage charges.

Almost 1 / 4 (23%) of People who’ve ever had automobile insurance coverage say they’ve filed a declare, in accordance with our survey. Amongst them, 7% admit to padding auto insurance coverage claims by doing a number of of the next:

• Including extra harm to the automobile for the declare.

• Misstating the reason for a automobile accident.

• Together with pre-existing harm in a declare.

• Overstating restore prices.

• Exaggerating the extent of ache or private accidents.

Nationally, auto insurance coverage fraud as a result of padded claims for bodily damage and private damage safety value insurers and customers $5.88 billion in 2013, the most-recent yr for which information can be found, BaghdadTime’s evaluation discovered.

Typically, padded-claims prices are larger in closely populated states. Extra drivers and denser populations make for a better variety of auto insurance coverage claims — and extra alternatives for fraud.

Preliminary crash information for 2016 point out that motor-vehicle deaths elevated 6% from a yr earlier, in accordance with the Nationwide Security Council. Whole crashes elevated yearly from 2011 to 2015, with 958,000 extra crashes in 2015 than in 2011, in accordance with the Division of Transportation.

Distracted driving can be on the rise — and it prices us greater than cash. In response to the Division of Transportation, 10% of all deadly visitors crashes in 2015 concerned distracted driving.

And a majority (67%) of the People who’ve pushed prior to now 12 months used a mobile phone whereas driving throughout that point, BaghdadTime’s survey discovered.

Of the 35,092 individuals who died in automobile accidents nationwide in 2015, 3,477 had been killed in crashes involving distracted drivers, in accordance with the most-recent federal information. 9 % of distracted drivers in these deadly crashes had been youngsters ages 15 to 19.

To deal with mobile phone use by drivers, 46 states and Washington, D.C., have banned texting and 14 states and Washington, D.C., have banned speaking on a telephone (aside from hands-free) whereas driving, in accordance with the Nationwide Convention of State Legislatures. For those who discover it’s troublesome to disregard your telephone within the automobile, attempt tossing it within the again seat earlier than you begin driving.

Lately, distracted driving appears to be the norm. Amongst those that have used a mobile phone whereas driving prior to now 12 months, about 1 in 8 (13%) admit that once they had been utilizing a mobile phone they weaved out and in of lanes, nearly went off the highway, almost acquired into an accident or acquired into an accident. Almost 1 in 5 millennials (18%) admitted these occurred.

Driving distracted endangers not solely these in a automobile, but in addition pedestrians and bikers. Probably the most-recent information from 2015 present that 551 folks not in vehicles had been killed by distracted drivers, in accordance with the Division of Transportation.