Distracted driving is increasingly threatening U.S. roads, and the commercial auto insurance industry is taking notice. According to new research from SambaSafety, 84% of insurers and brokers now consider distracted driving a major threat to commercial auto profitability. That figure has risen nearly 10 percentage points in just one year, underscoring a growing recognition that distraction behind the wheel not only endangers public safety but also drives up costs when crashes occur.
The findings come from a comprehensive report that surveyed 740 fleet, broker, and insurance professionals, alongside an analysis of 500 million miles of driving data covering more than 135 million driver behavior events. The research highlights that safety risks vary considerably by industry and type of work drivers perform. For example, severe speeding rates differed by more than fivefold across the industries analyzed. Transportation fleets recorded 48 severe speeding events per 100,000 miles, while Construction fleets recorded 254. These disparities show why a one-size-fits-all safety strategy may fail to address the specific risks facing different groups of drivers.
Telematics technology is emerging as a key tool to help organizations identify unsafe driving patterns and use those insights to shape driver training and safety programs. Already, 90% of fleet respondents report using telematics. However, more than half of fleets (53%) say interpreting and acting on telematics data is a leading challenge. This gap between data collection and actionable insight is where artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to play a role. Sixty percent of fleets and 94% of insurers report using AI in some form, including analyzing driver risk data and reviewing footage that once required manual processing.
The research also points to a disconnect over data sharing. While 52% of brokers cite fleet distrust as a barrier, only 5% of fleets agree. This suggests that fleets may be more willing to share information when they understand its purpose and value. “Understanding risk isn’t just about having more data. It’s having the right information to reveal the story behind it,” said Kristy Kennah, Head of Insurance at SambaSafety.
These findings reflect a broader shift in vehicle safety technology. As telematics and AI become more widely adopted, the focus is moving beyond mere data collection toward using that information to identify risks and support safer decisions on the road. For insurers, brokers, and fleet operators, the implications are significant: distracted driving remains a major threat, but the tools to combat it are improving. The 2026 Telematics Report from SambaSafety provides a detailed look at these trends and offers insights that can help organizations tailor their safety programs to the risks their drivers actually face. As the industry continues to grapple with distraction and other risky behaviors, leveraging data effectively will be crucial for improving safety and profitability. For more information, visit (NewsUSA).
