At the 14th Allianz Motor Day on October 21, 2026, one of the most significant safety risks in road traffic was the focus: distraction while driving. New investigations by the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) show that its contribution to accidents is significantly higher than previously assumed. While earlier estimates suggested around 10 percent of traffic accidents, current analyses indicate a share of more than 30 percent. Thus, distraction is either the immediate cause or a crucial contributing factor in at least every third accident.
AZT/cogniBIT study makes distraction maneuvers measurable for the first time A joint study by AZT and the cognitive modeling company cogniBIT demonstrates for the first time how significantly distraction can impact collision risk in selected critical traffic situations. These calculations are based on a cognitive driver model and real gaze data from an extensive vehicle study.
The study results show the substantial impact of distraction on road safety: In a simulated emergency braking scenario on the highway, the proportion of accidents rose from 18.2 percent for attentive drivers to 54.3 percent for distracted drivers. In a scenario where a child unexpectedly enters the roadway, the accident rate increased from 3.9 percent to 11.2 percent. Particularly alarming: In 39 percent of these cases, the distracted drivers did not react at all.
It is expected that at least every third traffic accident is due to distraction. This is significantly more frequent than previously thought. Particularly alarming: In the studies, distracted drivers performed even worse in critical situations than drivers with a simulated blood alcohol content of 0.08%. Distraction in some situations is therefore even more dangerous than alcohol at the wheel - and not a trivial offense. Distraction should be as socially frowned upon as drunk driving.
The car is not a smartphone The significantly increased functionality of modern vehicles makes the representation of certain functions via the touchscreen necessary. Functions that could previously be operated intuitively and without eye contact are increasingly moving into digital menus. For essential and frequently used functions like operating the air conditioning or radio, multiple inputs on the screen are often required today. As a result, drivers direct their gaze away from traffic for longer and more frequently, which can impair driving safety.
"Our research shows that the same operation in one vehicle can require up to 25 percent less visual attention than in another. This makes clear: Distraction is not just a question of behavior, but also of the user interface. The cockpit itself has become a screen competing with the road for the driver's attention. But a car is not a smartphone. When it comes to safety, design must follow function," said Dr. Klaus-Peter Röhler, board member of Allianz SE, responsible for Insurance German-Speaking Countries, Central Europe, Global Property & Casualty.
Design decides: The cockpit as a safety factor An AZT driving study under real conditions shows that the design of the touch operating concept significantly influences how long drivers avert their gaze from the road while operating it. Comparing current vehicle models, identical everyday tasks resulted in some significantly different gaze diversion times.
For individual tasks, a more favorably designed operating concept saved up to 25 percent or about three seconds of gaze diversion time. The results show: The touchscreen itself is not the problem, but the way functions are integrated into the vehicle's operating concept.
"For safe vehicle operation, binding recommendations are needed for which functions should be controlled via physical switches and which via touchscreen. At the same time, scientific findings on human- machine interaction should be consistently used to design touchscreen operations in a way that distracts the driver as little as possible from traffic," said Christian Sahr, head of the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT).
What drivers say The concerns of many drivers are justified: According to a recent Allianz survey of Swiss drivers, 77 percent of respondents see increasing digitalization of the vehicle as a driver of more distraction at the wheel. Every second driver now rates the distraction risk as high or very high. Particularly noteworthy: 64 percent of drivers who have caused an accident in the past three years consider distraction a definite or possible cause. Accordingly, there is a great desire for easier operation: About two-thirds of respondents (66 percent) favor traditional switches and buttons instead of nested touchscreen menus.
Allianz demands at the 14th Allianz Motor Day to improve safety in the digital car
1. Vehicle manufacturers: Relevant functions must be easily accessible and operable at all times, for example, also via switch. Vehicle manufacturers must consistently adapt operating concepts to the requirements of real driving operations. Safety-critical functions such as windshield wipers, indicators, low and high beams, hazard lights, as well as windshield heating and defrosting must be quickly and intuitively accessible. Control elements should remain permanently accessible, either through physical controls or clearly defined, constantly available areas on the touchscreen. This shortens search time, ensures that drivers’ eyes remain on the road, and eases operation of unfamiliar vehicles. In Europe, Euro NCAP already rewards designs that offer direct access to important functions instead of hiding them in menus.
2. Regulation and monitoring must keep pace with digitalization. Regulatory and enforcement authorities should systematically address the issue of distraction, starting with consistent recording. Effective regulation, enforcement, and technologies to monitor distraction can help prevent risky behavior, improve understanding of the problem, and reduce distraction-related accidents. As vehicles become increasingly digital, legal frameworks and enforcement measures must also evolve to account for new causes of distraction.
3. Drivers bear central responsibility Despite all technical support, the attention of drivers remains the decisive safety factor. 82 percent of respondents in Switzerland see the main responsibility for avoiding distraction with themselves. Driver assistance systems can support, but not replace, drivers. Therefore, education, driver training, and effective in-vehicle warnings are crucial to sustainably strengthening drivers' awareness of the risks of distraction.
About the studies
The AZT conducted its most comprehensive research program to date on the topic of distraction at the wheel. This involved analyzing more than 34,000 accident cases, eye-tracking studies in real vehicles, a driving simulation study in collaboration with the Technical University of Munich, cognitive modeling of critical traffic situations with cogniBIT, an international, representative driver survey in nine countries (1,200 people each), and an evaluation of more than 80 published studies. The findings were presented at the 14th Allianz Motor Day and published in the report "SWIPE. TAP. CRASH. Distraction in the Digital Car."
For further information on the 14th Allianz Motor Day, visit Live
Allianz Motor Day and Allianz Motor Day 2026 Swipe. Tap. Crash. Driver Distraction in the Digital Car
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