Distracted Drivers Taking A Toll On Insurance Premiums

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Drivers beware, even if you're driving safely, other bad drivers could be costing you big bucks. Insurance companies are blaming distracted drivers for the pain good drivers have to endure.

Think about this: you follow the rules, you put away the cell phones when you get behind the wheel, but someone else's bad decision, is costing you more.

As if there weren't already enough worries out there on the roads, motorists are now getting more bad news. According to the Insurance Information Institute, distracted drivers are making it bad for everyone, pushing up insurance premiums, even for those who follow the rules.

John Bugg, a Baltimore insurance agent with State Farm, says distractions come in the form of texting and social media.

"We see it all the time."

And who could forget when a driver slammed into a police cruiser in Baltimore. He was playing PokemonGo.

And while distracted driving has become a costly bad habit for many, there are others who are fighting to change the culture, because they've paid the ultimate price.

Government data shows 3,197 people died in 2014 in distraction-related crashes. In 2015, the death toll was even worse, at 3,477.

Susan Yum says her son died when a distracted driver rear-ended them.

"He would have been 11 this year."

She says she's frustrated drivers are ignoring the obvious danger of not keeping their eyes on the road.

"When you are behind the wheel of a car, you have a three, four-ton weapon, and if you're distracted, then a split second can change someone's life."

Some say the only fix, is a constant reminder that no one is invincible.

Recent insurance data reveals the average car insurance premium rose more than $900 dollars last year.

"We just have to continue to drive that home that it's not safe. At some point, it's going to happen to you if you continue to do it," she says.

Susan says the driver who killed her son, got two traffic tickets, and two $500 dollars fines.

She will testify in front of lawmakers Wednesday, in an attempt to make the punishment for distracted drivers even tougher.