Dashboard Deals: Survey Reveals the Full Extent of Commuters Who Work Behind the Wheel
Legally reviewed by: Jessica Anvar Stotz, JD, MBA
We recently conducted a study to uncover the extent to which commuters across the nation’s busiest routes are utilizing rush hours for work-related activities. The startling results are below. Key Findings
- High Incidence of Work Activities During Commutes: A significant number of commuters are not just driving but also engaging in various work-related activities, such as taking calls, strategizing over speakerphone, negotiating deals, and participating in conference calls, which divert their attention from the road.
- California Routes Dominating in Work Activity: The survey results indicate routes in California, specifically I-10, US 101, and I-405 in Los Angeles, as the top routes where commuters are most actively working from their cars, underscoring significant safety concerns on these busy roads.
- Safety Concerns Amid Productivity: While many commuters are turning their vehicles into mobile offices, this raises significant safety concerns due to the distractions it causes.
Implications of the Study:
- Heightened Risk of Accidents: The increase in work activities during commuting presents a considerable risk of traffic accidents, drawing attention to the need for stricter safety regulations.
- Need for More Effective Road Safety Campaigns: There is a pressing need for awareness campaigns highlighting the dangers of multitasking while driving, emphasizing that no work task is worth risking a life.
- Potential Legal and Insurance Implications: The trend of working while driving could have legal and insurance ramifications, potentially leading to new policies or amendments in existing laws.
- Challenge for Employers: Employers may need to reconsider expectations around employees’ availability during commutes, acknowledging the safety risks involved.
- Increased Relevance of Legal Assistance in Traffic Incidents: The study’s findings suggest a potential rise in car accidents linked to work-related activities while driving, highlighting the need for individuals to seek car accident lawyers that are skilled in handling cases involving such unique circumstances, particularly in high traffic areas like Los Angeles.
- Influence on Public Policy and Transportation: The findings encourage the development of safer commuting options and possibly revising laws around mobile device usage in vehicles.
- Mental Health and Stress Factors: The study also underlines the stress factors associated with balancing work and commuting, highlighting the need for strategies to manage commuter well-being.
- Role of Technology in Safety: There’s a critical need for advancements in hands-free and safety-focused technologies to mitigate the risks associated with working while driving.
Methodology
Online panel survey of 3,000 adults based on age, gender, and geography. Internal data sources are used to obtain population data sets. We used a two-step process to ensure representativeness through stratified sampling and post-stratification weighting. Respondents are carefully chosen from a geographically representative online panel of double opt-in members. This selection is further tailored to meet the precise criteria required for each unique survey. Throughout the survey, we design questions to carefully screen and authenticate respondents, guaranteeing the alignment of the survey with the ideal participants. To ensure the integrity of our data collection, we employ an array of data quality methods. Alongside conventional measures like digital fingerprinting, bot checks, geo-verification, and speeding detection, etc. each response undergoes a thorough review by a dedicated team member to ensure quality and contextual accuracy. Our commitment extends to open-ended responses, subjecting them to scrutiny for gibberish answers and plagiarism detection.
