Boston’s Safest Driver Competition grew out of the city’s Vision Zero commitment, announced in 2015 by then-Mayor Martin J. Walsh, to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on Boston’s roads.1 The city piloted the competition in fall 2016, then ran it again in 2019, adding workplace challenges to reach commuters at major employers.110
The project used a smartphone app developed with Cambridge Mobile Telematics to give drivers feedback after trips.1 It assessed five behaviors—rapid acceleration, harsh braking, sharp turns, at-risk speeding and phone distraction—and provided trip scores and tips for improvement.1 The competition paired this individual feedback with incentives, including prizes, and in 2019 worked with local Transportation Management Associations to encourage participation among large and mid-sized employers.38
The 2016 pilot attracted nearly 5,000 participants. Among its most active quarter, phone-distraction scores improved by 47 percent, harsh-braking scores by 37 percent and speeding scores by 35 percent.24 In 2019, the app recorded about 2.92 million miles across more than 314,000 trips; after 35 days of use, reported results included reductions in risky driving behaviors, with the city’s report recording a 48 percent decrease in distraction, 57 percent in harsh braking and 38 percent in speeding.12 The city’s 2019 review noted that participation was lower than in 2016, while still reporting improved behaviors among participants.10
The initiative involved the City of Boston’s Transportation Department, the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics and Cambridge Mobile Telematics; the 2019 relaunch also involved Liberty Mutual Insurance and the National Safety Council.110 The available sources identify Mayor Walsh as the official who announced the Vision Zero commitment, but do not name a project founder.1