How smartphones could help reduce road traffic accidents

Published: 20/09/2012

Insurance provider Aviva is trialling new technology which will allow them to monitor customer’s driving through their smartphone.

Policy holders are being invited to download the Aviva RateMyDriving app to their phones so the insurer can track the driver’s behaviour and car use over the first 200 miles.

The aim is to encourage drivers to behave more responsibly on the roads, thus reducing road traffic accidents. Safer drivers will be rewarded with lower insurance premiums.

The phone records data based on acceleration, braking and cornering before translating the information into a score to determine the driver’s insurance premium. It is believed safer drivers could save up to 20 per cent off on their existing premium. However those already paying less than £200 a year are not entitled to any discount while the available discount to those paying between £200 and £400 is capped at 10 per cent.

Steve Treloar is the Retail Director at Aviva:

“We need a wide range of motorists to test the proposition and help us develop the final product and customer experience before we bring it fully to market.

“We believe that by using smartphone technology in this innovative way, Aviva will be able to tailor premiums further to individual drivers – basically the premium will be for you, not people like you.”

Content correct at time of publication