Most drivers multitask on the road. Most drivers also believe they are good at it. There is new research showing that those beliefs don't match up, and it puts you at risk.
Mercury Insurance surveyed drivers regarding 27 common distracted behaviors. For example, checking navigation to eating and making phone calls. The results do show a habit problem hiding in plain sight, according to the Mercury Insurance report (Mercury, 2026).
What does the data say?
Drivers admitted to engaging in 37% of the 27 behaviors on average. Merely 8% of those drivers avoided distractions entirely. In addition, 68% of drivers claimed they felt confident in their ability to multitask while driving.
Even the most distracted drivers, which are those who engage in 20+ behaviors each year still rate themselves above average. Within this group, 69% firmly believe they pay more attention than the typical driver on the road.
This is the main problem. Confidence doesn't align with performance. When you believe confidently that you can handle multiple tasks, you begin to ease correction of risky habits. That is when accidents happen.
Small Habits Add Up
None of these examples provided feel dangerous in the moment. The combination of these reckless, yet common habits lower your reaction time and shrinks your awareness of the road.
There is state data to back this up. Drivers in Alabama reported participating in 45% of the tracked behaviors. This is well above the national average despite hands-free laws and safety campaigns already in place. Alabama has also seen their distracted driving fatalities increase more than 67% between the years 2018 and 2023.
These habits obviously don't fix themselves. Being aware and spreading awareness matters, but the largest difference is from what you do behind that wheel every day while commuting.
What can you do today?
Grove & Davis Insurance wants you to get from place-to-place cautiously. Below are a few steps you can take right now:
- Put your phone away (even hands-free Bluetooth cuts off your attention from your sole responsibility)
- Set up your navigation system and music station/playlist before you put your car into drive.
- Skip eating or applying makeup while the car is moving.
- Treat driving as your sole task, not one on your chore list.
- Check your own confidence. If you firmly believe you are better than average at multitasking, it's a clear indicator that you aren't.
Why This Matters for Your Insurance Coverage
Not only is distracted driving a safety issue, but it's also a risk factor that insurers track closely. If you look at the numbers, more distracted driving means more claims, and more claims change everyone's rates. Lowering your own distracted habits not only protects you, but it protects your passengers, and everyone else on the road as well. On top of that, this may lower your premium over time.
Small changes in your driving habits will prevent real consequences later. Talk to your Grove & Davis agent today about safe driving discounts and our coverage option that reward drivers that pay attention.
Sources: Mercury Insurance News Releases
Bill Harris
As an intern at Grove & Davis Insurance Agency through the Del Mar Small Business Internship Program (SBIP), Bill is building a strong foundation in the insurance industry while pursuing an Associate of Science in Geographic Information Systems at Del Mar College. He is committed to learning the principles of insurance and providing attentive, reliable support to our clients and team.
