Inside these posts: Texting while driving

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State Farm introduces distracted driving tool

State Farm Insurance Co., the Bloomington-based home and auto insurer, said it has introduced what it claims is the insurance industry’s first free mobile phone accessory to address growing concerns about distracted driving.

Rival Allstate Corp. of Northbrook couldn’t be reached for immediate comment.

State Farm’s “On the Move” widget enables Android smartphone users to let people texting them know that they’re busy or driving. Besides reducing the number of accidents, such a tool could help insurers lower claims costs. Get the full story »

Companies crackdown on calls, texts while driving

With cell-phone related crashing costing $43 billion a year and average claims costing companies an average $100,000 more corporate fleet managers are tightening policies on texting and talking on the phone while using company cars.

Now, about 63 percent of its companies have a written policy prohibiting the use of phones and other wireless communication devices while driving. Of companies that ban the practice, 32.7 percent bar any electronic device, while 67.3 percent say employees may use hands-free but not hand-held devices.

Survey: People talking, texting less while driving

Texting-Driving-Web.jpgA motorist drives while speaking on a cell phone in Boston on March 2, 2010. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

By Sandra M. Jones | U.S. drivers say they are talking and texting less while driving then
they did a year ago as they become more aware of the risks, according to
a new survey.

Four out of 10 drivers who admit to texting behind the wheel say they do
it less often than they did last year, according to the annual “Driving
While Distracted” survey from Nationwide Insurance.

The survey found that 20 percent of drivers with cell phones say they
text while driving. Among drivers under age 35, that number jumps to 47
percent.

Get the full story »