EverQuote, Inc., am insurance marketplace in the U.S., has released data on the impact of Apple’s Do Not Disturb (DND) While Driving feature in iOS 11 on the driving behavior of EverQuote’s growing community of 500,000-plus EverDrive users. EverDrive is a free app designed to facilitate safe driving. It shows you you trip summaries, details on maneuvers, and gives you “useful feedback to become a better driver.”
Results showed 70% of EverDrive iPhone users kept the DND While Driving feature enabled after its release. Between the feature’s release on September 19th and Oct. 25 those users then exhibited an 8% decrease in phone use while driving, as measured by their EverDrive app.
“This data is an exciting indication that the very same technology platforms that can facilitate distractions while driving can be used to address those issues given the right features and encouragement to use them,” says EverQuote Chief Technical Officer Tomas Revesz. “Texting and other phone use while driving is an epidemic in the United States, as EverDrive reveals the significant majority of drivers (92%) use their phone while behind the wheel.”
EverDrive data also shows the average drive time of EverDrive users is 21 minutes, with 88 seconds or approximately seven percent of that time spent interacting with their phone. Despite many states implementing anti-texting or distracted driving laws, distracted driving plagues American roadways — injuring and taking the lives of thousands each year according to the National Highway Traffic Administration.
In addition to reviewing how Apple’s DND While Driving feature impacted EverDrive users’ driving behavior, EverQuote surveyed 939 EverDrive users with Apple and Android phone operating systems to further understand sentiment and preferences toward the DND While Driving feature. Additional survey findings include:
- Many drivers don’t know their mobile device can help lessen distractions while they drive. 41% of the EverDrive users surveyed, across both Android and iPhone devices, didn’t know their phones had a DND While Driving feature.
- Drivers who use Apple’s DND feature say it has made them safer. Among drivers who use the DND While Driving feature, 75% say it has made them safer drivers; 15% say it hasn’t; and 10% didn’t know.
- Drivers say other driving technology, such as safe driving applications, traffic aware GPS, and assistive driving vehicle features can help them drive safer.
- About one in three drivers (31%) believe that a driving application that monitored and reported their speeding, phone use and driving behavior would help make them safer drivers.
- Nearly half of drivers (45%) believe that a GPS system with traffic predicting and time-shortening capabilities would make them a safer driver.
- One in three drivers (33%) believe that semi-autonomous driving technology, like automated park assist, self-driving autopilot, and lane-departure sensors, would make them safer drivers.
- Consumers want software and/or applications that remove mobile distractions while driving. If Apple or Android did not offer the DND While Driving feature to users, one in three drivers (32%) would download a similar driving application that disables their phones while driving.
