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72% of Commercial Drivers Admit to Distracted Driving

More than 90% of commercial drivers believe that reading a text while behind the wheel of their company vehicle is considered distracted driving, yet nearly half of those drivers say they have done it.

March 28, 2019
72% of Commercial Drivers Admit to Distracted Driving

More than seven of every 10 commercial drivers admits to reading a text while driving.

Graphic courtesy of UFG Insurance.

2 min to read


More than 90% of commercial drivers believe that reading a text while behind the wheel of their company vehicle is considered distracted driving, yet nearly half of those drivers say they have done it.

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The data comes from UFG Insurance who recently expanded its distracted driving awareness campaign, including content specifically about and targeted to commercial fleets.

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UFG's "Worth It" program, which launched in 2017, has set a mission to provide companies with resources to spread the message that distracted driving is dangerous and needs to be stopped.

The content that covers commercial fleets — including posters and presentations — is drawn from proprietary research conducted by UFG and points to some disturbing trends among commercial drivers.

Key among the findings is that 72% of commercial drivers surveyed acknowledged that their distracted driving could cause a collision.

Four in 10 (39%) said they have sent text messages while operating their vehicle, and 47% said they've read a text. Calls are another problems. Six in ten have talked on a handheld phone while driving.

Moreover, nine in ten fleet drivers say they have engaged in other forms of distracted behaviors including talking to a passenger, listening to music, changing the station on the radio, or adjusting remote controls while driving.

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On the upside, the UFG survey found that commercial drivers are four times more likely than general drivers to use an app designed to prevent distracted driving.

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