Online Auto Insurance: Survey Results May Indicate Growing Concern Over Distracted Driving

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA, November 23, 2011 (Press-News.org) A recent PEMCO Insurance survey that shows 4 in 10 Portland, Ore., motorists think fines for drivers who text should be higher demonstrates that people are increasingly concerned about the risks associated with distracted driving, according to Online Auto Insurance (OAI).

But the fact that a quarter of respondents also confessed to committing the offense highlights ambivalence toward unsafe behaviors that in the worst cases lead to physical harm and at the very least can make it a challenge to find affordable coverage when they compare car insurance quotes online.

Federal safety officials say driver distractions, including the use of mobile devices, cause thousands of deaths and millions of dollars in property damage each year. And the costs can be steep even for those who don't wind up hurting others, including pricey repair bills and traffic citations.

Thirty-five states and Washington, D.C., now ban texting for all drivers, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), and nine states and Washington, D.C., have outlawed the use of hand-held cell phones while driving.

The penalties for drivers caught violating those laws vary between states, however.

Whereas some states limit consequences to a fine--$142 in the Beaver State--some go further. Under legislation recently enacted in New York, for example, penalty points are added to a violator's driving record for each offense.

Source: http://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/new-law-strengthens-ban-texting-while-driving

Because a person's driving history is a major factor in determining how much he or she pays for vehicle coverage, a conviction for driving while texting or talking on a hand-held cell phone can have serious financial repercussions for motorists in those states.

According to the PEMCO survey, 55 percent of Portland-area motorists think violations of the state's laws against texting or talking on handhelds should be noted on a driver's record.

While it shows most drivers recognize the dangers of distraction on the part of drivers, the survey is also the latest to demonstrate that many motorists don't follow their own safety advice.

An Allstate survey released earlier this year found more than 60 percent of drivers consider themselves "very good" or better, although roughly 90 percent admitted to speeding and nearly 50 percent said they had driven while practically falling asleep.

To learn more about this and other insurance issues, readers can go to http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/quotes/ where they will find informative resource pages and a rate-comparison generator that can help consumers quickly evaluate their coverage options.