Car insurance penalties for distracted driving violations have increased exponentially over the last decade — 7,040%, to be exact. 

That’s according to a new study from The Zebra revealing the significant rise of insurance penalties for distracted driving citations.

But exactly how much has the penalty increased for distracted driving citations? Let’s look at the numbers.

Distracted driving citations can increase car insurance costs by thousands of dollars

If you were cited for distracted driving in 2011, you might have been charged a small, 4% increase, or $5 more for your car insurance policy than a driver with a clean driving record. 

Fast forward 10-years to 2021, and receiving a distracted driving citation could raise your rate an average of 23%, or $325. 

How much your insurance increases for a distracted driving citation depends on multiple factors, including your insurance company and state laws. 

Connecticut drivers will see the steepest impact, with an average rate increase of $1,084 for drivers cited for distracted driving. On the other side of the spectrum, New York drivers can expect a significantly smaller $62 increase of around $62.

The price increases aren’t short-term either; a distracted driving violation can impact your car insurance rate for an average of three years. 

Distracted driving can add points to your license

In some states, including Colorado, California, and Florida, texting and driving violations will add points to your license, which could eventually lead to a license suspension and rack up your car insurance rate even higher. 

The good news is that as insurance penalties rise, distracted driving rates fall. According to the National Highway Safety and Safety Administration, fatal car crashes involving distracted driving dropped from 9.2% in 2017 to 8.4% in 2018. 

If you want to avoid paying significantly more money for car insurance, you should avoid driving distracted. We'll help you get started being a safer driver with our list of 3 tips to help you stop driving distracted. 

Sign Hunter’s Pledge to End Distracted Driving

Hunter’s Pledge was designed to encourage drivers to commit to safe driving habits. Since 2016, tens of thousands of drivers have signed the pledge and permanently changed their driving behaviors. Studies show that signing a pledge can dramatically and permanently change behaviors. In fact, 55 percent of people who sign Hunter’s Pledge have changed their driving behavior. 

Hunter’s Fund

Hunter’s Fund honors the life of Hunter Watson, a young man of extremely diverse talents who was killed at 20-years-old when he was fatally injured as a passenger in a distracted driving collision.

Through distracted driving education and awarding grants to help young people’s involvement in performing arts, music, computer science, and entrepreneurship, Hunter’s Fund empowers young people in their careers and keeps Hunter’s spirit alive.

Does your fraternity or organization want to get involved with Hunter’s Pledge? Click here for more information, or contact Natalie Kwon natalie@hunterwatson.org.