Root insurance experts provide some excellent statistics and tips

Americans are restless, eager to rediscover their freedom, and take to the roads. And despite many states slowly reopening or remaining closed, drivers are getting back on the roads as fast as they can, with the average miles driven per day shooting from 19.7 mi on Apr 12 to 32.1 on May 11 (63% increase).

With nearly 43 million Americans hitting the roads for Memorial Day Weekend last year, Root Insurance Co., a mobile telematics and A.I. based auto insurer, put together an interactive data map to analyze driving behavior during this year’s summer road trip season. Beyond the 63% increase in miles driven, here are examples of other data points available from Root:

• Drivers are less distracted. Since the start of the pandemic, drivers are checking their phones 2% less as compared to 2019, bringing the national average down to ~19 times every 100 mi.
• Even though Louisiana is only starting to reopen on Friday, drivers are already taking to the roads, with the average Louisianan driving 15.8 more miles daily (87% increase from Apr 12).
• Meanwhile, Mississippians have been off to the races since the state began reopening on April 27, surpassing the 2019 national average for average miles driven on weekends.

Root’s safe driving experts provide some specific data just for Illinois:

Illinois has seen an driving increase of nearly 65% from April 12 to May 16

• The largest increase was Chicago (72.6%)

Illinois residents are not only driving longer, but they are driving further as well. Distance of trips have increased over 80%.The largest increase was again Chicago with an increase of 95%.

Illinois residents are now spending, on average, over an hour a day in the car, up from a low of just 38 minutes on April 12.

The slowest metro to get back on the road is Peoria, where driving has still increased over 40%.

Root Insurance makes car insurance simple by explaining what coverages are required in your state and which are optional. They also provide some great advice for your continued safety.

• Scout your trip before you leave: While you may be eager to take extra trips, make sure you are only going to the places you need to.
• Start a new pre-driving ritual: You may have fallen out of your routine. Remember to check seatbelts, mirrors, music and handsfree devices.
• Limit passengers: Not only is it a pandemic best practice, but too many passengers can also cause distractions, including pets!
• Allow more time: What’s the rush? Set aside an additional 10-15 minutes for planned trips.