I Have Semis Passing Me in the Right Lane and People Swerving When Passing on the Right ― I've Lost More Years Off My Life in 1 Week With This Thing Than I Have in 10 Years of Driving

How do you define "safe driving"? A post on a recent Reddit r/insurance interest group shows that intentionally driving safely at all times to stay in the good graces of your insurance provider's tracking app can literally and figuratively wreck your life.

Here is the OP's problem:

"Driving for 10 years now, really safe driver. I haven't even made a single dent or scratch on another car, not even damage to inanimate objects either. I was pressured into a $40 reduction on my insurance only if I get the app so I figured you know what? Sure, I drive safe anyways.

In 1 week, trying to appease the score I'm finding myself merging into lanes instead of hard breaking because the app is pretty sensitive. Turns I have to take doing 5 mph and usually end up having someone honk at me for going too slow on the turns. I've almost been rear-ended three times, turning, and almost hit someone merging to avoid point hits. FFS I only drive 6 miles a day anyways....

2 lane freeways are arguably worse. For safe driving I was always taught to follow the flow of traffic, staying within 5 MPH of everyone else around you. Now, I have semis passing me in the right lane and people swerving when passing on the right, doing sometimes 15 MPH slower than surrounding traffic.

I've lost more years off my life in 1 week with this thing than I have in 10 years driving. This is just crazy. I'm wondering if anyone else feels this way?"

The Progressive Snapshot Program

According to the OP, he enrolled in the Progressive Snapshot Program as a way to lessen his insurance cost. It seemed like a good idea since he considers himself to be a safe driver with no traffic accidents in the past 10 years.

The Progressive Snapshot Program is a usage-based insurance (UBI) program offered by Progressive Insurance that personalizes your car insurance rates based on your driving habits.

It uses a mobile app or a plug-in device to monitor how, when, and how much you drive. In particular, the app monitors your driving behavior regarding:

1. Hard braking
2. Rapid acceleration
3. Speed
4. Time of day driven (late-night driving is riskier)
5. Phone usage while driving (via mobile app)

The upside of the program is that you receive an initial discount just for enrolling, along with the promise of a renewal discount based on your monitored driving behavior after six months.

The downside of this program is that Snapshot could potentially be used to increase your rates if it detects risky driving behavior (e.g., frequent hard braking, driving late at night, distracted driving).

Another downside is that it can cause anxiety or self-consciousness while driving, as the OP discovered.

Thread Responses Say It's True and It's Not True

What makes the OP's comments interesting is the fallout on the thread posts that fall into two polarizing camps:

1. Progressive will raise your rates if you do not score high enough on the app.
2. All testimonies are anecdotal at best and are not real evidence of rates being raised.

I treat all of these apps as more surveillance by businesses to screw you somehow. Not sure how but if a business deems it important, I decline as a matter of rule. ―leftydog1961

Sweetie, these apps are intended to work against you. You won't win. And it gives them an excuse to increase their rates in the end. ―Cerulian_Shadows

There is not even anecdotal evidence that it is used to deny claims, and I don't know how they would even use it to deny first party claims. I hate these things too, but your reasons are just myths. ―key2616 (E&S Broker, Top 1% Commenter)

I can't believe this has so many upvotes. What evidence is there that telematic data is being used to deny claims? We don't even have access to that information in the claims department at carriers I've worked for. ―LeadershipLevel6900 (Top 1% Commenter)

Who is Correct?

These comments, which suggest there is no evidence to support claims of insurance providers using apps to raise an individual’s insurance rates, are reasonable.

However, an earlier discussion titled "My Experience with Progressive Insurance's Snapshot Device – A Warning" on the same interest group tells this story:

"Last November, I installed Progressive's Snapshot device on a commercial vehicle we use for our business. The idea of a 20% discount on our insurance premium seemed appealing, especially since the vehicle is driven infrequently and only by careful, experienced drivers. But from the moment the device was plugged in, it became a source of constant frustration.

The device is unbelievably sensitive. It chimed every time it registered a "hard stop," even when we were driving cautiously. Initially, I thought we'd get used to it, but things only got worse. We were being penalized for situations completely beyond our control—urban traffic, unexpected pedestrian crossings, other drivers cutting us off. The device created anxiety, making us second-guess every stop and encouraging unsafe behaviors, like rushing through yellow lights to avoid getting dinged.

After a couple of months, I contacted Progressive to get an update on how many "infractions" we had. I was shocked at how many we'd accumulated and the lack of transparency around how they were calculated. But the real frustration began at renewal time. I received a notification that our premium was increasing by $200 annually. When I called Progressive, I had to speak with three different representatives just to get an answer. One told me it was due to adding an extra driver. Another blamed it on a state-wide rate increase. Only after an hour and a half of phone calls and asking to speak with the Snapshot department specifically did I finally get the real answer.

The $200 increase was because the Snapshot discount had been removed due to the driving habits it flagged. So after dealing with all the stress of this device, our "discount" was gone. To make matters worse, none of the previous representatives had been upfront about this. They insisted the Snapshot was still "saving" us money—until I pushed hard enough to get a straight answer."

Had I not persisted, I probably would have continued using the device, thinking it was benefiting us when in reality, it wasn't. The whole experience felt like a bait-and-switch.

The OP ends the post and offers his advice that if you are considering Snapshot that he strongly advises drivers not to, due to it is not worth the hassle and it has the potential increase in your premium.

Does It Matter Who Is Correct?

The two separate forum discussions share one common complaint about the Snapshot programs that both of the two polarized parties appear to agree on: It causes anxiety and stress in drivers, which is what this article's OP had as a chief complaint.

In a sense, programs like Snapshot are less about driving safer and more about car owners adjusting their driving habits to meet Snapshot goals.

In other words, it is altering behavior that worked well earlier for drivers until they became Snapshot-focused rather than safety-focused.

In an ideal world, a plan like Snapshot should work well for everyone concerned. However, just as Asimov's 12 Laws of Robotics aim to keep humans safe from robots, or even with FSD, for that matter, there are always exceptions or extenuating circumstances that can turn what is good into something that is wrong.

In any case, the OP and many other drivers would be better off sticking with what worked for them over the years rather than chasing the Snapshot tail to get a discount.

What Do You Think? Let us know in the comments below if you fall into either of the two camps regarding Snapshot, and if so, why? Do you believe that your insurance rates have ever gone up from automotive-related telematics?

COMING UP NEXT: I've Got a Green Matte Wrap on My Tesla. I Recently Took It to a Detailer, and now the Hood Looks Blotchy, Uneven, and Has Patches Where the matte finish is basically ruined. Any Help or Suggestions Would Be Seriously Appreciated

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

Image Source: Deposit Photos