Image of driver using cell phone in from the driving seat Web

KnowYourDrive and Distracted Driving

Updated September 5, 2021 . AmFam Team

Distracted driving habits can lower your KnowYourDrive discount. Learn more about what KnowYourDrive counts as distracted driving and how you can avoid it.

With KnowYourDrive®, you can earn a discount on your auto insurance based on how safe a driver you are, and your discount can change based on your distracted driving habits. Many of our customers tell us that knowing their personal distraction habits helps them reduce their distracted driving — and that keeps them safer on the road.

What Counts as Distracted Driving?

While KnowYourDrive can’t record all types of distraction like applying makeup or eating while driving, it is able to determine distraction that involves your phone. Here are four things KnowYourDrive counts as distracted driving:

  1. Picking up your phone when the screen is unlocked 
  2. Touching the screen, including swiping and typing 
  3. Making a call while holding your phone 
  4. A passenger using your phone (the app can’t tell who is using the phone) 

What Doesn’t Count as Distracted Driving?

The KnowYourDrive app doesn’t record safe, hands-free interactions with your phone when you’re driving. So doing the following won’t lower your discount:

  • Listening to music or podcasts  
  • Using a navigation app without touching the screen 
  • Stopping your car, then taking a call while holding your phone 
  • Sending a text/call using voice commands 
  • Using your vehicle’s touchscreen 
  • Charging your phone or having an audio cable plugged in

How to Reduce Distracted Driver Habits

To help drive more safely and maintain the maximum KnowYourDrive discount, here are some tips for how to avoid distracted driving.

Use hands-free features

If you can connect your phone to your car using Bluetooth or other wireless technology to utilize features like voice commands, consider doing so. That way you won’t need to pick up and hold your phone if you need to answer a call. If your car doesn’t have built-in Bluetooth, consider purchasing a car Bluetooth kit so phone call audio can be routed through your vehicle’s speakers.

Mount your phone at eye level

If you need to use your phone as a GPS, consider purchasing a phone mount that can hold your phone near your normal line of sight while driving. This location is often above your dashboard, and be sure the mount is securely fastened so your phone doesn’t fall while you’re on the road.

Keep your phone out of reach

If you don’t need to use your phone for navigation or you can take care of any necessary communication using hands-free features, consider keeping your phone somewhere in your car where you will not be able to access it. Whether your glove box or in the backseat, this can help you avoid the temptation of using your phone while driving.

Check out our resource on how to prevent distracted driving for more tips on staying safe while on the road.

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    Distracted driving is when the driver is doing something that takes their attention away from the task of driving. Any time your eyes and/or mind are taken away from the road, you’re technically distracted, which means an increase in the risk of an accident.

    Not all driving distractions are created equal. As you can imagine, some forms of distraction aren’t as dangerous as others. For example, hands-free telephone conversations — although not recommended — isn’t as deadly as other modes of conversation while driving.

    The Deadliest Driving Distraction: Texting and Driving

    It should come as no surprise to you that texting is the most common distraction while driving as well as the most dangerous. It’s so deadly in fact, that it gets its very own section.

    It’s easy for us all to see the dangers of texting while driving, but even with that knowledge, so many of us fall into the temptation of sending off a fast text message while behind the wheel. But even a quick text can have horrible consequences.

    Just think, when you look at your phone, your focus is on the screen, not the road; one hand is off the wheel to hold your device, and your mind drifts to the message instead of the task at hand: driving safely.

    Why texting is distracting

    To put it into perspective, if you’re traveling at 55 MPH and you take your eyes off the road and onto your phone, you’ve traveled about 100 yards – the length of a football field! That’s quite a distance to cover driving “blind.”

    The National Safety Council reports that one out of every four car accidents in the United States is caused by a distracted driver who was texting. They also reported that texting and driving is six times more likely to cause an accident than driving while intoxicated.

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    Is it Illegal to Use Your Phone While Driving?

    The truth is that it depends on which state you live in. As of 2020, the Governors Highway Safety Association reports that there is a hand-held cell phone use ban in 22 states, with 48 states banning text messaging for all drivers. Find out the distracted driving laws for your state to ensure you’re following the rules of the road in your state.

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    Types of Distracted Driving

    The first step to preventing distracted driving is understanding what it is. In a nutshell, anything that occupies your attention while driving is a distraction. Here are a few notable distractors that should be eliminated while behind the wheel.

    Checking your GPS

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    Your best bet is to leave your phone in your pocket or purse when driving. But if you must use your phone for directions, enable the voice feature so that you don’t have to look at the screen for every turn.

    Sifting through your music device

    Trying to find the right song for your road trip is just as dangerous as texting and driving. Your best bet is to pick a playlist prior to getting into your vehicle. Or listen to the radio. The key here is to keep your eyes on the road and not on your music device.

    Checking social media

    Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, you name it – all of them bide for our constant attention. Don’t fall prey to this when you’re driving. That post, tweet, or message can wait. Avoid checking social media when behind the wheel.

    Eating behind the wheel

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    Other types of distracted driving

    There are a few more forms of distracted driving that could cause an accident. If you’re in the driver’s seat, try to avoid these altogether:

    • Taking selfies
    • Talking on the phone
    • Drinking coffee or another beverage
    • Putting on makeup
    • Using an app
    • Loud music

    Top 5 Ways to Prevent Distracted Driving

    There are easy ways to prevent distracted driving. Try using making these five simple changes distracted driving safety tips to have a safer driving experience.

    Use a text-blocking app

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    Have a passenger navigate for you

    If you’re driving with a passenger (of an appropriate age), hand the directions to them. Even a not-so-great navigator in the passenger seat is better than the person behind the wheel being responsible for both driving and navigating. If you’re driving by yourself, take the time to look at the directions before you set off. Then turn the volume up and let the AI lead the way.

    Make music selection easy

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    Don’t text while driving

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    Eat at home or while stopped

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    How Does Distracted Driving Affect Insurance?

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