Distracted driving is a major contributor to road accidents, and the main culprit is mobile phone use behind the wheel. But a recent study conducted with customers of US-based Progressive Insurance reveals the power of gamification in combating distracted driving.
The research explored various strategies to encourage drivers to put down their phones, revealing that gamification and financial incentives were the most effective.
Gamification proves effective
The study, involving 1653 participants already using Progressive's Snapshot program, which tracks phone usage while driving, found that gamification significantly reduced handheld phone use during and after the 10-week study.
Participants typically averaged over 6.4 minutes of handheld phone use per hour while driving. The first three groups, receiving education, a free phone mount or a combination of both along with a written commitment, showed no significant reduction in phone use.
However, the fourth group, which included competitive gamification, saw a 20.5% reduction during the 10-week study period. This effect persisted even after the study, with a 16.2% reduction in handheld usage compared to the control group. This approach involved weekly goals, points for meeting goals and leaderboards for friendly competition.
Money boosts results
The study also revealed that adding financial incentives to the gamification model further enhanced its effectiveness. A fifth group of participants who received financial rewards along with gamification reduced their handheld usage by 27.6%, or 89 seconds per hour, compared to the control group. This reduction remained consistent throughout the post-intervention period.
The findings of this study highlight the potential of gamification and financial incentives in curbing distracted driving. The study's authors suggest that insurance companies could consider incorporating these strategies to encourage safer driving behaviours among their customers.