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- Discovery Insure's research shows that cellphone-induced driver distraction is the biggest culprit behind motor vehicle accidents in SA.
- Its data shows that 20 seconds on the phone per trip increases the risk of an accident by more than 60%.
- Driver behaviour, meanwhile, has the biggest bearing on fatalities, and Limpopo tops the list in terms of fatalities per vehicle.
- For more financial news, go to the News24 Business front page.
Cellphone distractions are the biggest cause of vehicle accidents in South Africa, topping the list of risky driving behaviours in the country.
That's according to new research by Discovery Insure, which has access to more than 19 billion kilometres of driving data and 500 000 daily trips thanks to its extensive telematics capabilities.
Discovery Insure revealed the findings of its recent study at the local launch of the UN Global Campaign for Road Safety, in partnership with JCDecaux, at its offices on Monday evening.
"We've seen a positive development as far as night-time accidents are concerned, which was partly attributed to increased usage of our Uber benefit," Discovery Insure CEO Robert Attwell said in a statement. "But now the increase in distracted-driving accidents overshadows that."
Riskier than speeding
Discovery Insure's research shows that more than 60% of motor vehicle fatalities are influenced by five behaviours: drinking and driving, cellphone usage while driving, excessive speeding, aggressive driving, and lack of vehicle maintenance.
However, cellphone usage had the biggest impact on the likelihood of an insurance claim by Discovery Insure clients, and was an even higher risk than speeding.
The short-term insurer found that clients who submitted accident claims were 52% more likely to have used their phone than exceeded the speed limit on the day of the accident. A mere 20 seconds on the phone per vehicle trip also increases the risk of an accident by more than 60%, Discovery Insure data shows.
Trouble times, trouble spots
The research showed that driving at night significantly increases the risk that an accident will be fatal, as night-time accidents, which typically happen between 22:00 and 04:00, are nine times more severe than daytime accidents.
Accidents also often occur on the same roads or intersections, with Discovery Insure's research revealing that 27% of accidents occurred at 1% of locations.
While the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) reported that poor road conditions accounted for 22.2% of motor vehicle fatalities in 2022 – causing an estimated R200-billion loss to GDP in the process – Discovery Insure says driver behaviour has the biggest bearing on road fatalities.
"The data shows that parts of the country with the best roads may have high motor vehicle fatalities because of bad driving behaviour," said Attwell.
For example, Discovery Insure put Limpopo's road fatality rate per registered vehicle - which is the highest in the country - down to driver behaviour rather than road quality. On the other hand, it said the Western Cape had lower road fatalities thanks to both good road infrastructure and good driver behaviour.
"Road safety is a complex problem in South Africa, and it requires a multifaceted approach that largely drives a change in driver behaviour," said Attwell.
