Skip to main content

Driving Fast and Distracted: The New Normal of Traffic Congestion

By June 5, 2023November 27th, 2023Personal Insurance

In a post-pandemic world, the CCC 2023 Crash Course reported a noticeable change in traffic patterns across the United States. According to the CCC, vehicle miles traveled metro-wide across the 10 most populated cities in the U.S. are 4% above pre-pandemic levels. However, the time of day when traffic congestion and crashes occur has changed, and so have auto claims. This blog post will dive deeper into the changes and their implications for drivers and insurers.

Shifts in Driving Patterns

The CCC report reveals that traffic is building later in the day than before the pandemic, and it is rebounding faster during non-peak hours. This change in driving patterns has been largely influenced by the number of people who have transitioned to remote work and no longer participate in the typical rush hour commute. Naturally, a shift in the times when people are on the road has led to a shift in when vehicle crashes are happening. The report states, “as traffic volume builds in non-peak hours, there has been a decrease in the overall share of motor vehicle crashes that occur during typical morning and afternoon rush hours.”

Changes in Vehicle Weight and Horsepower

Americans are also buying heavier, more powerful vehicles, which has had an effect on the severity of crashes. The report cites information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which states the average weight of passenger vehicles in the U.S. has risen from 3,200 pounds for a model year 1981 vehicle to almost 4,300 pounds for a model year 2021 vehicle. American consumers have shown a preference for large SUVs and pickup trucks, which both increased in weight by 7% and 32% respectively from 1990 to 2021.

The average horsepower (hp) for pickups increased nearly 140% from model year 1975 to model year 2021 as well. As you can imagine, heavier vehicles with more power have the potential to cause a lot more damage than their lighter, less powerful counterparts, leading to higher impact severity and more serious damage to both people and property when a crash occurs.

Dangerous Driving Behaviors on the Rise


As if that isn’t enough to raise concerns, Americans are driving faster and becoming more distracted while on the road. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the worst offenders of distracted driving are those under age 50, but no age group or demographic abstains from these habits. 65% of IIHS survey participants admitted to distracted driving in the last 30 days.

Additionally, between 2020 and 2021, there was an increase in drivers who admitted they had participated in the following dangerous driving behaviors, according to information from AAA:

  • Driving when they have had enough alcohol that they thought they were over the legal limit (+23.7%),
  • Driving within an hour of consuming cannabis (+13.6%), and
  • Driving when they were so tired it was hard to keep their eyes open (+8.7%)

The Risks for Insurers and Drivers

Vehicle complexity has increased along with size and power, and the higher-tech vehicles of today can be a lot more expensive to repair due to the rising cost of parts and materials and the higher price of specialized labor. The changes in driving patterns, combined with the increase in vehicle weight, power, and dangerous driving behaviors, have significant implications for insurers and drivers alike.

_______________
Follow GMG Insurance on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram.
The contents of this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as advice.