Australian ICMIF member RAC has partnered with data science company Sentiance to create and test the Safer Driver app through a trial – which could detect when participants used their phones while driving.

In a recent press release, RAC shared that last year, 30 people were killed and 61 people were seriously injured in inattention-related crashes on Western Australian roads. Will Golsby, RAC General Manager, External Relations, said: “Whether it’s sending a text, making a call or changing a song — anything that takes your attention off the road environment is putting yourself and others at risk”.

The trial was started due to the belief that a smartphone app could help put a stop to distractions on roads, with the interactive trial successfully reducing calling, texting and swiping behind the wheel.

More than 800 Western Australians took part in the 2021 Safer Driver app trial, which encouraged them to change their phone habits through tailored education, coaching, and challenges, over a 30-day period.

The trial included an intervention group that received coaching, and a control group that did not. A dashboard helped drivers compare their habits throughout the trial. Participants also received coaching and challenges before and after their trips – they were not sent any material or interaction by the app during any driving journey.

Golsby said the app had a significant impact on driver behaviour. He stated: “The app technology recorded when participants touched their phones while driving, with the vast majority who received coaching reducing this dangerous habit. Half reduced their distraction by at least 60 per cent”.

Golsby shared the following findings from the trial:

• 75 per cent of participants accepted at least one focused driving challenge, with more than 1,700 challenges accepted over the course of the trial.
• 60 per cent of respondents to a post-trial survey said the app helped them understand the risks and form better habits, an encouraging sign safer behaviours will continue into the future.
• The success of the trial clearly shows the significant role technology plays in road safety, and how one of the major causes of driver distraction, could also be part of the solution.