Phone use overtakes speeding as top cause of crashes, Discovery telematics data shows
shauntrennery · x · 2026-10-13
Discovery's telematics program revealed on Radio 702 that cellphone use while driving has overtaken speeding as the leading cause of accidents in South Africa. The program tracks behaviors behind roughly 60% of crashes and fatalities, including harsh acceleration, braking, cornering, speeding, and late-night driving (especially after 11pm). Notably, hands-free Bluetooth calls don't count — only physically picking up the phone is logged as a distraction event.