Distracted driving is increasingly threatening the profitability of commercial auto insurance, according to new research from SambaSafety, a provider of driver risk management solutions. The 2026 Telematics Report found that 84% of insurers and brokers now consider distracted driving a major threat to commercial auto profitability, up nearly 10 percentage points in just one year. The report, based on responses from 740 fleet, broker, and insurance professionals and an analysis of 500 million miles of driving data covering more than 135 million driver behavior events, highlights how telematics can help organizations identify and mitigate risky driving behaviors.
The findings come as companies that operate and insure commercial vehicles increasingly turn to technology to address safety concerns. With 90% of fleet respondents using telematics, the challenge has shifted from collecting data to interpreting and acting on it. More than half of fleets (53%) say interpreting and acting on telematics data is a leading challenge. The report also reveals that safety risks vary considerably by industry. For example, severe speeding rates differed by more than fivefold across the industries analyzed. Transportation fleets recorded 48 severe speeding events per 100,000 miles, compared with 254 among construction fleets. These differences underscore why a one-size-fits-all safety strategy may not be effective; organizations need to tailor programs to the specific risks their drivers face.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a tool to help make sense of large volumes of driver data. Sixty percent of fleets and 94% of insurers report using AI in some form, including analyzing driver risk data and reviewing footage that once required manual processing. However, the report also points to a disconnect over data sharing: while 52% of brokers cite fleet distrust as a barrier, only 5% of fleets agree. This suggests that fleets may be more willing to share information when they understand its purpose and value.
“Understanding risk isn’t just about having more data. It’s having the right information to reveal the story behind it,” said Kristy Kennah, Head of Insurance at SambaSafety. The report’s findings reflect a broader shift in vehicle safety technology, where the focus is moving toward using data to identify risks and support safer decisions on the road. For organizations looking to improve safety and reduce costs, the insights from the 2026 Telematics Report may prove valuable. The report is available from SambaSafety.
