Distracted driving is one of the most urgent road safety crises facing Georgia and the United States today. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration estimates that distracted driving killed 12,405 people nationwide in 2021, nearly the same amount as impaired driving.
CMT’s data show that 34% of crashes happen within 1 minute of distracted driving. In 2023, on average, drivers in Georgia handled their phones while driving for 1 minute and 50 seconds, ranking 43rd in the country, 12.6% higher than the U.S. average. Georgia's Hands-Free Law, also known as House Bill 673, was signed into law in 2018 to reduce the dangers of distracted driving. The law prohibits drivers from using any part of the body to support or hold a standalone or wireless electronic or telecommunications device while driving.
Safest Driver programs, like Reach Home Safely, are proven to make roads safer. In other Safest Driver contests, CMT has seen a 48% reduction in distracted driving, a 38% decrease in excessive speeding, and a 57% drop in hard braking. CMT estimates that Georgia could prevent 4,100 crashes, 19 fatalities, and $160 million in economic damages annually by reducing distracted driving by 10%.
“Ensuring that every Georgian reaches their destination safely is our top priority,” Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry said. “By partnering with CMT on the Reach Home Safely app and through the support of the Atlanta Braves, we’re leveraging innovative technology and the power of community to tackle risky driving head-on. The Reach Home Safely program is more than just a contest — it’s a movement toward safer roads across Georgia.”
“By combining Georgia DOT's vision for safer roads and CMT's expertise in telematics, the Reach Home Safely app can save lives in an effort to make Georgia’s roads safer,” Ryan McMahon, senior vice president of Strategy for CMT, said. “The Reach Home Safely app is another example of CMT’s commitment to using technology for the public good."
Reach Home Safely is available for all residents of Georgia. To compete in the contest, participants just need to download the free Reach Home Safely mobile app, available on the App Store and Google Play Store. After activating the technology, participants only need to drive safely — the app automatically detects when they’re driving. The app includes a driving score, feedback on driving behaviors, and contest rankings. All driving data for the contest are anonymized and processed only by CMT. The contests include weekly, monthly, and grand prize winners throughout the remainder of the Braves' regular season, and include prizes like merchandise, access, experiences and more.
The Georgia Department of Transportation plans, constructs and maintains Georgia’s state and federal highways. Georgia DOT and its nearly 4,000 employees are committed to delivering a transportation system focused on innovation, safety, sustainability and mobility.
Cambridge Mobile Telematics is the world’s largest telematics service provider. Its mission is to make the world’s roads and drivers safer. Auto insurers, automakers, commercial mobility companies, and the public sector use insights from CMT’s platform to power risk assessment, safety, claims, and driver improvement programs. Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., with offices in Budapest, Chennai, Seattle, Tokyo and Zagreb, CMT measures and protects tens of millions of drivers worldwide every day.
© 2024 The Albany Herald, Ga. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
