Supplied
AA Insurance says 267,000 New Zealanders have had a collision in the last 12 months. (File photo)
Drivers are likely to see insurance premiums rise if they can’t keep their eyes on the road, the Automobile Association says.
AA’s latest motor survey showed vehicle insurance claims were up 17% year-on-year, with more than 267,000 New Zealanders involved in a collision over the last 12 months.
Driver distraction was blamed for 34% of those, with phones a factor in 4% and a further 3% attributed to the distraction of attractive pedestrians or other drivers.
Poor weather conditions contributed to 14% of collisions, while reckless or dangerous driving came in third at 11%.
AA head of motor claims Beau Paparoa said younger drivers – those aged 18 to 29 – were most likely to have a collision resulting from distraction, but drivers of all ages could experience a momentary loss of focus.
STUFF
Stuff has captured numerous drivers using cellphones while driving in Ponsonby, Auckland, as the Government hikes fines for using phones at the wheel. (First published May 2021)
“When you look at those driver distractions, it’s really resonated with that age group, but we can see it’s happening across the board,” he said.
“Unfortunately, rising claim volumes will result in increased premiums.”
Claims were also costing insurers more, with the bill rising 25% between 2020 and 2022, data from the Insurance Council showed.
Paparoa put that down to the increasing complexity and price of parts.
“A bumper that had maybe 10 components might now come with 100 components, and so there’s the complexity of the repair, the increased repair time and on top of that, there’s the cost of those parts too. They’re more expensive.”
Using a hand-held mobile phone to make, receive or terminate a call has been illegal since 2004.
It is also illegal to create, send or read a text message, email or video message, or use a hand-held phone in any other way while driving.
This includes using a phone when the car is stationary during the “normal starting and stopping of vehicles in a flow of traffic”.
However, police had a difficult task enforcing the rules, Paparoa said.
“All we can really do is encourage people to minimise distraction and focus on what they’re doing, which is driving.
“Safety is probably the biggest message here in terms of the risk of injury to yourself or others. But if you’re using your phone and you’re involved in an accident, you’re going to be paying for it at the end of the day when we have to lift premiums because of increased claims.”
