South Africa’s roads are 10% safer this year, according to Discovery Insure Driving Challenge statistics

Anton Ossip, CEO of Discovery Insure.

The Discovery Insure Driving Challenge made its debut in 2014 and is back this year with even better results than last year. Discovery Insure reports a 10.5% overall improvement in driving behaviour in 2015 compared to 2014. With 1.24 million deaths per year on the world’s roads, it is clear that innovative technologies which make people more aware of their driving behaviour can make an important impact on safety.

In the first four weeks of the Challenge, over 19 000 users downloaded and are using the Discovery Insure app toparticipate in the driving challenge. The statistics generated from these participants shows an improvement in driving behaviour amounting to 10.5% increase on scores from the Challenge in 2014. The biggest areas of improvement of South African drivers are: accelerating more gently, cornering less aggressively, and less phone usage while driving. 

Assessing driver behaviour using telematics

The driving behaviour of participants in the Discovery Insure Driving Challenge improves with age, with users 50 years and older scoring more than 14% higher than those 30 years and younger.However, the best drivers are Discovery Insure clients who overall score better than other participants in the challenge. For instance, Discovery Insure clients 30 and younger score better than all age groups of users that are not clients.

It is also evident from the Challenge data that men and women have very different driving styles. Overall, women score better in driving areas like steady acceleration, gentle cornering, not speeding, whereas men score better in gentle braking and using their cell phones less while driving.

The top three scoring provinces are:

1. Western Cape

2. Gauteng

3. Northern Cape

Mpumalanga drivers score the lowest, scoring nearly 20% lower than the top province, the Western Cape.

South Africans are using their phones less frequently while driving

South Africans have showed a gradually improvement in cellphone use while drivingwith scores improving by 22% in the current Challenge. In 2014, the data collected from Discovery Insure Driving Challenge showed that if a driver uses their mobile phone once during a trip, the result is an average of 52 seconds of distracted driving. This is equivalent to driving blind for one kilometer at 60km/h and makes the driver four times more likely to have an accident during that trip.

Anton Ossip, CEO of Discovery Insure, says, “Driving behaviour can be modified to lower the number of accidents on our roads. All we need to do, as a nation, is work together to become more aware of the driving behaviours that increase risk for accidents. We are committed to improve driving behaviour through sharing our propriety technology with allSouth Africans to create a nation of better drivers and safer roads that positively contributes to society.”

The app measures some of the behaviours that increase risk on the roads, and gives drivers a score out of 100 with details of how to improve their driving behaviour for greater road safety for everyone. The app also boasts users like Liesl Laurie (Miss South Africa), the Orlando Pirates Football Club, and the Sharks Rugby team players – all of whom would like to challenge other South Africans to join the driving challenge to create safer roads for all.

“With the high number of road deaths recorded in South Africa each year, I believe that it’s important to demonstrate exemplary behaviour through raising awareness of safe driving habits. I have become more conscious of my driving behaviour through engaging with the Discovery Insure app over the past few weeks. It’s exciting to be part of an initiative that inspires healthy competition for a good cause that has many positive benefits for society. I encourage all South African’s to join me in the Discovery Insure Driving Challenge to become better drivers and create safer roads, says Liesl Laurie, Miss South Africa."

The Discovery Insure Driving Challenge is open to all South African drivers, even if those who are not Discovery Insure clients. To participate and stand a chance to win your share of R1 million in fuel vouchers, among other prizes, download the Discovery Insure app onto your GPS-enabled smartphone and drive well.