Casey Compton, President of Personal Lines at Nationwide, discussed the impact of in-car technology on distracted driving in an interview with AM Best.

When asked about current trends in the insurance industry, Kempton highlighted the importance of data.

“Data is essential to how we evaluate policies, how we understand customers, and how we engage in the marketplace,” she said.

The ability to better understand risk and exposure through data is shifting more control to consumers, Kempton noted. In the automotive sector, the use of information technology to evaluate good driving behavior is developing rapidly.

Read more: What trends are impacting driver risk management?

Kempton also addressed the issue of distracted driving, noting that both private and commercial drivers are concerned about it.

“I think it’s very dangerous, especially as we’re getting closer to the Fourth of July, which is when the peak collisions happen and all the way up to Labor Day,” she said. “The roads are crowded, people need to be aware, they need to be present, they need to put down their phones and focus. People expect that commercial vehicle drivers are not going to follow closely, they are going to use their turn signals. So, it’s not just distracted driving.” We all need to drive as best we can on the road to keep us all safe.

Regarding other factors that contribute to distracted driving, Compton pointed to the proliferation of technology in vehicles. Features like GPS and music apps can be distractions.

“In general, be as self-protective as possible with some verbal commands that we can,” she said. “And then in some states, there are these really clever signs on the road that are actually meant to keep us from getting distracted by these clever sayings. However, in some cases, that also creates some distractions. So, just be very vigilant, and keep Your focus is on the road.

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