The average cost of a distracted driving accident is alarming. Numerous sources and statistics consider the total cost of a non-fatal injury accident to be approximately $65,000. What’s even more alarming is how quickly this average can elevate.
Check out the hypothetical situation below that shows how rapidly the cost of a claim can increase.
The accident
A driver rear-ends a vehicle, pushing that vehicle into a third vehicle. Ultimately, six vehicles sustain damage, and eight individuals are injured. Luckily, no fatalities or life threatening injuries occurred. The driver of the instigating vehicle admits to being distracted and not watching the road.
The cost
Liability falls on the distracted driver. Costs of the claim reach $595,595, with total estimated loss at $1 million. The expenses of the claim are attributed to the following coverage areas:
Vehicle physical damage — $32,000
Vehicle liability — $228,291
Bodily injury liability — $325,704
Property liability — $9,600
Reserves — $404,405
When fault is clear, and others are injured, the costs of a distracted driving accident increase significantly.
Prevention
Does your organization accept the risk of distracted drivers? Or do you proactively take action to reduce the potential for a similar accident?
Our FleetAlliance program is designed specifically to mitigate the risk of distracted driving. We offer telematics services, coupled with our market expertise, to decrease losses across commercial auto policyholders. To learn more about our fleet safety program, and download our resources, click here.
