The American Automobile Association (AAA) recently set out to answer the question of whether smartphone apps make drivers safer. The answer, researchers say, is yes. In a new report, AAA outlines its new research that finds that app-based interventions may help curb risky driving behaviors.
AAA says its new Driver Behavior and Performance Study is one of the ways is it researching effective ways to encourage safer driving behaviors behind the wheel. AAA says in 2023, over 40,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the United States, fueled by risky behaviors like speeding, impairment, and aggressive driving. While this number has decreased from previous years, AAA says it remains high compared to pre-pandemic levels.
“This research, with over 1,400 study participants, gauges what motivates individuals to change certain risky driving behaviors,” said Dr. David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Finding ways to reduce these behaviors can positively impact traffic safety and reduce injuries and fatalities on our roads.”
AAA says its research shows that speeding, aggressive driving, and distraction contribute to a significant number of crashes. So how can Smartphone tech help? AAA says it allows the measurement of dangerous driving behaviors, which could pave the way for remedies to help drivers improve their safety.
One way this could already be happening is through usage-based insurance (UBI) programs, typically used by insurance companies to offer customers incentives for safe driving. However, AAA says it's challenging to determine whether UBI programs truly improve safety, as only individuals who opt in are monitored.
To explore this issue further, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety examined whether providing feedback and incentives—typical of UBI programs—enhances driver safety. Researchers also explored whether targeted goals, either assigned or self-selected, lead to greater improvements.
The trial examined the use of handheld phones, speeding, hard braking, and rapid acceleration. Participants were divided into four groups, with different levels of feedback and advice over a 12-week period. All groups, except the observation group, could earn bonus incentives based on their overall driving safety.
- The Observation group – served as the control; their driving was monitored during this period, but they received no feedback or bonus incentive.
- The Standard Feedback group – given weekly feedback and advice via text messages on all behaviors monitored.
- The Assigned Goal group – focused on one specific behavior assigned to them and were given weekly feedback and advice via text messages on that one behavior.
- The Chosen Goal group – participants selected one behavior to focus on and set a goal for improvement; were given weekly feedback and advice via text messages on that goal.
The Results:
Among the three feedback groups, AAA says there were clear improvements in driver behavior:
- Up to a 13% reduction in speeding
- Up to a 21% reduction in hard braking
- Up to a 25% reduction in rapid acceleration
Surprisingly, AAA says the use of handheld phones remained unchanged. Researchers hypothesize that it's possible baseline safety scores provided to participants at the start of the study for this behavior led drivers to believe that they were being safer than they actually were—and therefore, there was less need for improvement.
Participants also reported how helpful the following tactics were in changing their behaviors:
- 67.4% – the potential to earn extra money
- 53.9% – weekly driving feedback via text message
- 45.8% – weekly dashboard (provided detailed driving information for the week)
Participants in the “Assigned Goal” and “Chosen Goal” groups also displayed higher engagement with the dashboard, which correlated to greater improvement in risky driving behaviors.
The study period was 12 weeks. After which, participants were monitored for an additional 6 weeks to determine if their habits would persist in the absence of reinforcement. The study found that, generally, participants continued to drive more safely, indicating that they did so without receiving feedback or incentives.
“It’s encouraging to see that many individuals stuck with safer habits even after the study,” said Jake Nelson, AAA’s director of traffic safety advocacy. “This shows that positive reinforcement, not just punitive measures, can lead to safer driving habits that can save lives.”
AAA says its research shows that the kinds of feedback and incentives offered by UBI programs can improve driver safety across a range of behaviors. Developers of this technology can maximize the benefits of this tool by looking for ways to enhance participant engagement.
For more on the report and to download the report, click here.
Photo: AAA