Black boxes have become a common component of car insurance for many young drivers. The telematics technology monitors your speed, the way you handle your vehicle, and in some cases, what time you drive at.
So why do over a million drivers volunteer to allow insurers to monitor their every moment behind the wheel? Drivers with a black box who drive carefully are rewarded with lower insurance premiums. The data collected by insurers has proved many modern myths about young drivers false – whilst some have been proven.
The data was collected by some of Britain’s biggest telematics insurance providers who discovered the following:
Women are Safer Drivers than Men
Telematics data confirmed one of the most common points of debate for drivers, with women being named the safer drivers of the two sexes. 54% of insurance claims are made by men, whilst 46% belong to women.
17-year-olds are safer drivers than 18 and 19-year-olds
Having only just passed their driving test and still learning their own driving habits, 17-year-olds are actually safer drivers than those who have been driving for a year or two. Growing confidence and freedom from the watchful eye of instructors and examiners, means drivers pick up bad habits.
NHS workers are most likely to be a safe driver
Insurers are allowed to discriminate based on the type of career you have. Given the field they work in, it isn’t surprising that employees of the NHS know the importance of driving carefully. Unsurprisingly, motor racing drivers have a more expensive insurance policy, followed closely by funfair employees.
Black Boxes Pick up the Signs of a Crash Before they Happen
Data collected from black boxes following an accident has revealed that in many cases, there were signs of erratic driving (when compared to the driver’s usual habits) which contributed to the accident. When probed many drivers admitted to scenarios such as stress at work or arguments with a spouse, which influenced their poor driving.
Young Drivers need further education on navigating country roads
Many young drivers believe that because the speed limit is 60mph on a country road, they can stick to that speed when taking corners and flying up and down hills. Black box data has revealed that these types of roads are death traps for young drivers and that inexperienced drivers require further educations on how to navigate roads.
Unsurprisingly speed is a young driver’s main issue
The data collected from telematics revealed that one-third of drivers drive too fast in poor road conditions. The data also revealed that drivers who speed 20% of the time increase their risk of having an accident by 87%.