(NewsUSA) - Distracted driving continues to threaten U.S. roads, prompting companies that operate and insure commercial vehicles to explore how technologies like telematics can help identify risky behavior and prevent crashes.

New research from SambaSafety examines how organizations use driving data to better understand risk and support safer decisions on the road. The report draws on responses from 740 fleet, broker, and insurance professionals, as well as an analysis of 500 million miles of driving data covering more than 135 million driver behavior events. The findings show that safety risks can vary considerably by the type of work drivers perform, and that understanding those differences can help organizations develop safety programs that address the risks their drivers face.

The report found that 84% of insurers and brokers consider distracted driving a major threat to commercial auto profitability, up nearly 10 percentage points in one year. The increase reflects a growing recognition that distraction behind the wheel threatens public safety and contributes to higher costs when crashes occur.

Telematics can help organizations identify unsafe or risky driving patterns and use those insights to influence driver training and safety programs. With 90% of fleet respondents using telematics, there’s a growing challenge in turning the technology’s data into meaningful action. More than half of fleets (53%) say interpreting and acting on telematics data is a leading challenge.

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 show why a safety strategy that works for one group of drivers may not address the risks facing another.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is also emerging as a means of interpreting large amounts 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.

The research also points to a disconnect over data sharing. While 52% of brokers cite fleet distrust as a barrier, only 5% of fleets agree. This finding 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.

These findings reflect a broader shift in vehicle safety technology. As these tools become more widely used, the focus is shifting toward using this information to identify risks and support safer decisions on the road.

The 2026 Telematics Report is available from SambaSafety.