Around 81% of the questioned US commercial drivers feel that distracted driving is on the rise. Credit: Doug Kerr.

A new survey has found that more than four-fifths of commercial drivers in the US believe that distracted driving is on the rise.

The survey was commissioned by Netradyne, a company that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning techniques to boost commercial fleet safety.

According to the survey, around 81% of the commercial drivers perceive that distracted driving is on the rise.

The most common distractions were identified as drinking, incidents outside the vehicle, looking at a GPS device and adjusting in-vehicle audio.

In addition, surveyed motorists thought that accessing social media platforms and video calling applications are severely distracting.

However, around 86% of respondents reported that they feel safe while driving, despite this rise in distractions.

The survey also found that 22% of the commercial drivers had been injured in a distracted-driving incident.

Netradyne Fleet Business president Adam Kahn said: “Because of the distractions on the road, the long hours, I believe that every vehicle, particularly those in commercial fleets, should have a camera.

“Technology is proven to have a huge impact on not only making the roads safer for everyone and reducing distracted driving with in-the-moment feedback, but fleets can save money by avoiding the incidents that the human brain can’t always anticipate.”

The survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive, with 350 commercial drivers.

The Netradyne study also noted that more than 50% of commercial drivers believe that smart technologies improved driver safety.

69% of the respondents have shown an interest in AI technology that would help them monitor blind spots, while 68% preferred information on vehicle maintenance issues.

Finally, around 63% of drivers are interested in receiving information on the road.