Video safety and telematics company Lytx Inc. released its annual “State of the Data” report on vehicle fleets and the increased risks that drivers face on roadways. Powered by 40 billion miles of new driving data from 2023, Lytx said its 2024 report identifies heightened levels of risk on the roads and a greater urgency for fleets to decrease unsafe driving behaviors.
Notable findings from this year’s report, according to Lytx, highlight how as roadway risk increases, the importance of knowing how to drive safely, as well as the understanding of the risks associated with when and where to drive, become more vital and can play a significant role in overall fleet safety.
“Road travel surged to record highs in 2023, and with more vehicles come more risks, as well as increased logistical complexity,” said Brandon Nixon, chairman and chief executive officer of Lytx. “It’s crystal clear that the need for safety and efficiency amid increasingly congested roadways has never been stronger. Despite an overall rise in road risk, our data indicates that companies that have implemented fleet safety programs are seeing the results across a number of success metrics – from lower claims costs and more efficient fuel use to improved collision avoidance.”
Among the report’s findings is a significant difference in risk between morning and afternoon commute hours. Despite similar congestion patterns, afternoon commute hours were three times riskier than morning commute times.
“The data around commute hours was one of the more interesting and surprising insights to emerge from this year’s analysis,” said Erin Baucum, director of Lytx Client Intelligence. “This type of finding is extremely valuable for us as we build and refine our safety tools and programs, as well as for fleets to take into account as they plan their routes.”
More miles, more risk
Lytx noted a 9.5% spike in roadway risk from 2022 to 2023, as traffic volume on U.S. roads swelled to a record 3.26 trillion miles, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Correspondingly, Lytx identified more than 18 million risky driving incidents in 2023. Using the proprietary Lytx Risk Score, which calculates behavior averages across a variety of industries using learnings from 261 billion miles of driving data from Lytx’s global database, the report found:
- Captured driving risk per vehicle increased 9.5%, from 2022 to 2023;
- Captured Lytx Risk Score per vehicle increased to 13.4 in 2023, from 12.9 in 2022; and
- Collisions per vehicle increased 3%, from 2022 to 2023
Top 10 behaviors contributing to risk in the U.S.
- Following distance (1-2 seconds)
- Handheld device
- No seat belt
- Posted speed violation
- Following distance (less than 1 second)
- Incomplete stop
- Food or drink
- Failed to stop
- Inattentive
- Late response
Lytx tells us speeding, distraction, not wearing a seat belt, and following too closely continue to top the list of risky behaviors in 2023. New to the top 10 list this year is incomplete stop. As roads become more congested, the company said what once seemed like minor, habitual infractions are now resulting in more frequent—and severe—incidents.
View Lytx’s full 2024 “State of The Data” report for more details and statistics on growing driving risks.
