Unreliable, inaccurate scoring and a waste of money
As a new driver I quite liked the idea of getting scored as it would encourage me to improve. What I wasn’t told was how silly the scoring system is. It always says I’m using my phone when in reality I haven’t touched my phone once during driving I’ve even tried to leave my phone without maps or music and it still said I was using my phone!? Not to mention road risk and short trips are scored horribly. It literally judges you on your workplace and postcode I don’t understand how that is appropriate at all as it says nothing about the driver and I already pay a higher premium for my address why continue to penalise me for it? Additionally, if your drive is anything below 30 minutes you have no chance at a good score as I apparently do not have smooth driving? This app seriously needs reviewing because it makes anxious drivers even more anxious and has nothing to do with safe driving. The idea is brilliant but executed poorly to say the least.
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Response from developer
We'd like to go through the scoring with app for you. Please send us an email to support@directline.com and we'll go through this with you. MJ
Don’t bother
I’ve had this app for a year now and agree with all the negative reviews. I’m not going to go into detail about why it’s so bad, as there are 100+ reviews on this and the developers clearly aren’t interested as nothing is changing. However, I did want to say, despite all that I have managed to achieve a good score of 85+ the entire time which is in the green. I’ve just had my renewal through and they have increased the annual price anyway from 900 to 1150!! So what was the point? If this is a good score and it’s still being increased? Thank god my year is up, just moved to another provider for 645 and no stupid tracking apps. Avoid this app and avoid direct line.
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Response from developer
Thank you for the feedback about the scoring Michael. Please send an email to support@directline.com with your policy number and a brief description of the feedback so we can go through this with you. MJ
Score breakdown
The app was good at first, seemed like it was scoring pretty fair, when I didn’t have smooth drives at first (after just getting drivers licence) it would mark me down and show me where I made the error, usually heavy breaking…
After 2 months of having the app, I’ve noticed it’s impossible to keep a good score, I went from average score of 86 to now average score of 76. I know this isn’t a bad score but it’s just dropping more over the time.
I just had 3 really smooth drives, literally as seamless as it gets, but it just feels like the scoring is not fair, they scored me:
89 speed (having never exceeded the speed limit and was accelerating gently)
85 mobile interaction (didn’t touch phone at all, it was in the glove box!
88 road risk (not complaining)
59 smooth driving (I was driving like I had a baby on board)
Also time of day is always in the 70’s or less, there’s never the correct time of day to be driving apparently…
Anyways just thought I’d leave a review, the scoring is very unfair, but I hope I can get through the year without my score depleting too much 😑
After 2 months of having the app, I’ve noticed it’s impossible to keep a good score, I went from average score of 86 to now average score of 76. I know this isn’t a bad score but it’s just dropping more over the time.
I just had 3 really smooth drives, literally as seamless as it gets, but it just feels like the scoring is not fair, they scored me:
89 speed (having never exceeded the speed limit and was accelerating gently)
85 mobile interaction (didn’t touch phone at all, it was in the glove box!
88 road risk (not complaining)
59 smooth driving (I was driving like I had a baby on board)
Also time of day is always in the 70’s or less, there’s never the correct time of day to be driving apparently…
Anyways just thought I’d leave a review, the scoring is very unfair, but I hope I can get through the year without my score depleting too much 😑
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Response from developer
Thanks for your feedback about our app. If you’d like us to go through your scores with you, please send an email to support@directline.com, so we can take a closer look at them. Lisa
Don’t recommend at all
The app itself is easy to use however unless you only drive on straight, empty roads you will find it hard to get a decent score.
One of the things they mark you on is “road risk” which has nothing to do with your driving it’s just based on how dangerous the roads you drive on are. By dangerous they mean junctions and roundabouts. I was told on the phone to just avoid these roads and use different routes which is ridiculous, I was also told it’s based on how many people on the roads are also using the app.
You’ll also get marked down if your connected to the Bluetooth in your car and if you drive during busy times.
One of the things they mark you on is “road risk” which has nothing to do with your driving it’s just based on how dangerous the roads you drive on are. By dangerous they mean junctions and roundabouts. I was told on the phone to just avoid these roads and use different routes which is ridiculous, I was also told it’s based on how many people on the roads are also using the app.
You’ll also get marked down if your connected to the Bluetooth in your car and if you drive during busy times.
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Response from developer
Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback. If you’d like us to go through your journey scores, please contact us at support@directline.com, so we can take a closer look at them. Lisa
Absolutely shocking
If there was a zero star option I would give it! The app is so inaccurate and feels like it just spins a wheel to give you a score. I can drive so cautiously and still lose points for heavy breaking and acceleration and also lose points for mobile interaction when I don’t touch my phone.
It’s also annoying how you lose points for things like time of day and the roads you are driving on when a lot of the times you can’t avoid these things especially for things like work!
Overall shocking and inaccurate really disappointed and do not recommend!
It’s also annoying how you lose points for things like time of day and the roads you are driving on when a lot of the times you can’t avoid these things especially for things like work!
Overall shocking and inaccurate really disappointed and do not recommend!
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Response from developer
We’d like to go through the scoring with you. Please send an email to support@directline.com, with your policy number so we can go through this with you. MJ
Inaccurate and made unfair
I find that this app is extremely inaccurate when I’m driving as it always gives me a low score on ‘mobile interaction’ and I have not once been on my phone or touched it when driving so I find this quite annoying and unfair.
Another thing is location and time of day when driving, I can not choose when I have to start and finish work as this is something out of my control so I don’t understand why it gives you a lower score when you have to drive at certain times of the day. Another thing is I don’t understand why it gives you lower scores for certain areas you drive in, again this is something that is unfair and I can’t pick and choose the route I go when going to work, lift someone, going out etc.
Just my personal experience with the app and I have had better.
Another thing is location and time of day when driving, I can not choose when I have to start and finish work as this is something out of my control so I don’t understand why it gives you a lower score when you have to drive at certain times of the day. Another thing is I don’t understand why it gives you lower scores for certain areas you drive in, again this is something that is unfair and I can’t pick and choose the route I go when going to work, lift someone, going out etc.
Just my personal experience with the app and I have had better.
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Response from developer
We’d like to go through with you to give you some more information on the scoring. Please send an email to support@directline.com with your policy number and a brief description so we can go through this with you. MJ
Completely Unfair
The scoring system on this app is genuinely so unfair and just outright ridiculous. I live in Devon and have to drive across the moor to get to my work every day. More times than not the “road risk” will be in the low 80s. (Orange). This ultimately makes my score extremely low on certain drives.
Furthermore, I finish work sometimes at 9/10 PM. Coupled with the low score on road risk I face the score for “time of the day” being extremely low as well.
Finally, the “mobile interaction” section is almost never correct. I will drive to and from work every day without touching my phone, leaving it in the center of my car. I have NEVER got a 99 on the score for this. It’s often low 90s which then makes my score low again.
In conclusion, this app is extremely unfair to people in my situation who don’t live in a city and work a 9-5.
Furthermore, I finish work sometimes at 9/10 PM. Coupled with the low score on road risk I face the score for “time of the day” being extremely low as well.
Finally, the “mobile interaction” section is almost never correct. I will drive to and from work every day without touching my phone, leaving it in the center of my car. I have NEVER got a 99 on the score for this. It’s often low 90s which then makes my score low again.
In conclusion, this app is extremely unfair to people in my situation who don’t live in a city and work a 9-5.
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Response from developer
I'd love to give you some more information and get a better understanding of this. Please send an email to support@directline.com with your policy number and a brief description so we can investigate this for you. Tori
Absolutely shocking
I’ve had this app for less than a month and my score is dreadful. It causes me so much stress even getting into my car and my driving experience should not be stressful. The scoring is inaccurate, I get marked down for mobile interaction whenever I get a notification that I don’t even respond to because I’m driving. My speed always gets marked down even though I stick to the speed limit always. Time of day is shocking, as a bartender when I finish work late at night my score is always 1. Road risk is stupid too, I’m not going here there and everywhere for the sake of getting a good score. I’ve got to pay the insurance and now they want me to double the price I pay in fuel too just for a good score? And to top it all off it’s now asking me to update the app otherwise it won’t work and there’s no update available on the App Store, so that’ll be me on hold for another 2 hours to customer service again tomorrow for the fourth time in the space of a few weeks. Don’t bother, bloody ridiculous.
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Response from developer
I'm sorry your feeling this way, I'd love to give you some more information for the scoring. Please send an email to support@directline.com with your policy number and a brief description so we can investigate this for you. Tori
Unreliable and inaccurate
I’ve used this app since I passed in May.
Not only does it not record all my journeys. Making it unfair when it comes to my overall score for the month. But it records all my journeys inaccurately. If I’m in another persons car for example and it records the journey. And you forget to go on the app daily. It will automatically assume it’s you driving meaning my score fluctuates all the time. As I work and barely go on my phone enough to confirm which journeys are mine and which aren’t. Meaning my score has dropped by a lot due to other peoples driving whilst I’m a passenger, and there is not an option to change it once the app has decided it’s you!
Also if you’re only making short journeys such as myself. You get marked down on the ‘smooth driving’ sector, simply because it’s not a long drive down a motor way. I have never once sped or drove erratically. Yet the app constantly marks me down for this. Same with the phone section. I have never once gone on my phone when driving yet I never score 100 on it!
Absolutely terrible app and I hope my insurance is not effected by this when I go to renew in May!
Not only does it not record all my journeys. Making it unfair when it comes to my overall score for the month. But it records all my journeys inaccurately. If I’m in another persons car for example and it records the journey. And you forget to go on the app daily. It will automatically assume it’s you driving meaning my score fluctuates all the time. As I work and barely go on my phone enough to confirm which journeys are mine and which aren’t. Meaning my score has dropped by a lot due to other peoples driving whilst I’m a passenger, and there is not an option to change it once the app has decided it’s you!
Also if you’re only making short journeys such as myself. You get marked down on the ‘smooth driving’ sector, simply because it’s not a long drive down a motor way. I have never once sped or drove erratically. Yet the app constantly marks me down for this. Same with the phone section. I have never once gone on my phone when driving yet I never score 100 on it!
Absolutely terrible app and I hope my insurance is not effected by this when I go to renew in May!
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Response from developer
I'm sorry your feeling this way, I'd love to give you some more information for the scoring. Please send an email to support@directline.com with your policy number and a brief description so we can investigate this for you. Tori
DO NOT USE THIS APP
This app is a complete waste of time I’ve been driving almost a year and for the past few months it’s been recording journeys when I haven’t been driving as well as giving me low scores due to me apparently using my phone I have never touched my phone whilst driving never have and never will. The app is useless, based off where you live alone depends on the score you get as you’re in a high risk area, how on earth is that fair that I receive low scores based on where I live. On top of that driving late at night is seen as a risk i understand however there are many circumstances as to why people may drive late at night and using that as a main priority of scoring should be changed or fixed it’s terrible. There are times where I will drive less than a mile down the road and will be given a score saying that I’m accelerating or braking far to harshly, which is very incorrect due to me being a new driver especially never have I taken chances of speeding or increasing my chances of being in an accident. I think the app needs fixing entirely and focusing more on accuracy and reliability instead of recording incorrect journeys and unreliable scores.
Terrible!!
Terrible!!
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Response from developer
Sorry to hear you’re not happy with the app. You’ve raised a few points that our team would be happy to go through with you. Please contact us at support@directline.com with your policy number and a brief description of the issues, so that we can look at some of your recent journeys. Lisa
app
I think the app is overall quite accurate for me, although being penalised for the time of day is annoying due to the fact i finish work late. I have seen quite a few people saying their acceleration and braking score is extremely low even though they a cautious with it. I figured out that if you have a phone holder that isn’t fixed and rattles quite a bit, this is what might be causing your scores to be so low because when you brake or accelerate it can move back and forth quite harshly. I found that placing it under my radio so it’s flat and doesn’t move around has improved my score massively.
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Response from developer
Thanks for the feedback Nina. There are some top tips in there. If you'd like to discuss anything else with our team please don't hesitate to contact us at support@directline.com with your policy number so that we can look at some recent journeys and continue to help you improve your scores. Lisa
The worst
This app records any mode of transportation. Getting an uber/bus/train gives you a horrible score. It gives you 72 hours to record it as another mode of transportation, but if you forget which is very likely when you take many other modes, it saves it and alters your actual score permanently. This is the dumbest thing, the app doesn't even show you the journey straight after sometimes it can tKe 24 hours to show up, so when you take another mode of transportation, you have to remember in 24 hours i need to go on this stupid app to record it.
The app also has mobile interaction, which what about when you are driving and your partner is on your phone putting maps on or changing music?? The designers of this app payed no attention to other use cases. This section is also recorded really weird, as in even if i dont touch my phone it will still give a bad score, leading me to believe other areas like speed and control are recorded falsely too.
I have already emailed the issues, and the response was pretty much “you can call support to discuss and change your plan” - thanks for nothing you absolute brain dead muppet
The app also has mobile interaction, which what about when you are driving and your partner is on your phone putting maps on or changing music?? The designers of this app payed no attention to other use cases. This section is also recorded really weird, as in even if i dont touch my phone it will still give a bad score, leading me to believe other areas like speed and control are recorded falsely too.
I have already emailed the issues, and the response was pretty much “you can call support to discuss and change your plan” - thanks for nothing you absolute brain dead muppet
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Response from developer
I’m sorry to hear you’re unhappy with the app. We take a lot of factors into consideration when scoring a journey. Please send an email to support@directline.com with your policy number so that we can look at some recent journeys and provide some answers to your queries. Tori
Inaccurate scoring
I've only had this app for a couple of days. My first two journeys, it didn't record a single thing yet my mobile network was fine, my battery was full and my location etc was all on. So it completely missed them journeys and didn't record it for no obvious reason. It also missed one of my drives today but recorded the other. When it did record it, all the scores were way off. I got a poor score for mobile interaction yet I don't so much as touch my phone whilst driving as I know it can be super dangerous. I get lower scores for driving in areas with higher risk?? I literally drive for about 5 minutes to and back from work. I can't help where I live or where I work? I'm starting to worry that I shouldn't have got this app as it just simply seems to be giving me low scores for no fair reasons and I'm concerned it'll affect my insurance for next year. I don't think the scores are accurate at all in my opinion.
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Response from developer
I'd like to get to the bottom of this and give you a better understanding of the scoring. Please send an email to support@directline.com with your policy number and a brief description so we can investigate this for you. Tori
Only good for motorway driving
I live in a town and this app is completely hopeless for driving in towns, I once did a commute to work which takes me about 20 minutes and stayed between 5 and 10 mph below the speed limit for the entire journey and still got a poor score for speed.
However, a lot of my friends are at uni and I visit them a fair amount which means I use motorways fairly regularly. For this type of driving the app is amazing. I can comfortably sit at around 70mph for the entire journey and get a speed score of 85+ and an overall score of around 90.
All in all, if your everyday commute involves a motorway, you’ll have no problems at all, however if your everyday commute (like most people) involves town/ city driving, I 100% would not recommend.
However, a lot of my friends are at uni and I visit them a fair amount which means I use motorways fairly regularly. For this type of driving the app is amazing. I can comfortably sit at around 70mph for the entire journey and get a speed score of 85+ and an overall score of around 90.
All in all, if your everyday commute involves a motorway, you’ll have no problems at all, however if your everyday commute (like most people) involves town/ city driving, I 100% would not recommend.
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Response from developer
I’m sorry to hear you’re unhappy with the app. We take a lot of factors into consideration when scoring a journey. Please send an email to support@directline.com with your policy number so that we can look at some recent journeys and provide some answers to your queries. Lisa
Not worth it
As someone who lives in a rural area I get penalised for driving on “dangerous roads” I can’t help where I live. I also work nights and get penalised for my career choice. I use my phone as a sat nav but don’t touch it while driving and that affects my score. Specifically asked when buying the insurance if there were any time of day restrictions and was told no. If I had known I would be marked based on time of day I would have gone with a different plan. Also it doesn’t record all my journeys keeps on telling me to update the app when there isn’t an update available. Given that I’m spending so much money on this insurance the least they could do is provide a functioning, fair app.
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Response from developer
I'm sorry the scoring is making you feel this way, I'd love to give them a look over for you. Once i have looked over it we can explain the scores and meanings. Please send an email to support@directline.com with your policy number and a brief description so we can investigate this for you. Tori
Pretty unfair
So I downloaded this as it saved me £200 on my insurance, I thought nice how hard could it be? Apparently quite hard.. I work in a pub and restaurant and we don’t close till midnight, so my score on time of day is going to be lower then everyone else’s, also mobile interaction is utter lies as I put it in my glove box on the other side of the car! And still scores me lower then 80! I really don’t want to have to pay more money with a app that doesn’t work properly, I’ve just passed my test so I’m worried that It will come back poorly effecting my score for other insurances.. not happy
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Response from developer
I'm sorry the scoring is making you feel this way, I'd love to give them a look over for you. Once i have looked over it we can explain the scores and meanings. Please send an email to support@directline.com with your policy number and a brief description so we can investigate this for you. Tori
Unfair & Inaccurate Scoring System
The first major gripe I have with this app is the “mobile interaction” feature. Not once have I ever so much as touched my phone whilst driving - never mind actively used it - yet I constantly receive a score of below 100 for this aspect of my “driving”. Today I put my phone in my bag in the gym changing room, placed my bag on the passenger seat of the car, and didn’t even remove it from my bag until I had gotten out of the car, climbed three flights of stairs and sat down IN MY HOME. Yet I was given a score of 89 for mobile interaction and told I need to be careful. Really ruined my post-workout good mood and made me very angry.
Second issue is you’re scored on things beyond your control such as the location in which you drive as well as the time of day at which you drive. This is extremely unfair to people living in these locations who need to go to work at specific times. It feels like we’re being punished for driving successfully, even in areas which have “complex roads”. If it isn’t obvious; these things are often beyond an individual’s control.
The other aspects are fine. Probably.
I’m annoyed by the above due to the fact that it feels like we’re being cheated out of cheaper insurance as a result.
Second issue is you’re scored on things beyond your control such as the location in which you drive as well as the time of day at which you drive. This is extremely unfair to people living in these locations who need to go to work at specific times. It feels like we’re being punished for driving successfully, even in areas which have “complex roads”. If it isn’t obvious; these things are often beyond an individual’s control.
The other aspects are fine. Probably.
I’m annoyed by the above due to the fact that it feels like we’re being cheated out of cheaper insurance as a result.
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Response from developer
I'm sorry you've had problems with the scoring, I'd love to give them a look over for you. We can then go into more information and get a better understanding. Please send an email to support@directline.com with your policy number and a brief description so we can investigate this for you. Tori
Inconsistent
Pros:
•Easy to navigate the app
•Encourages safe driving
Cons:
•Really inconsistent, I drive on the same roads at the same speeds (most of the time I drive slightly under the limit) but scores me differently on road risk and smooth driving.
•Scores you on time of day, I have to drive sometimes between 8-9am and that brings down the score drastically, however driving at 7-8am gives you a near perfect time of day score, but if you drive in the afternoon from 3-4pm it gives you a poor time of day rating. Basically I find it hard to drive at times to please the rating.
•Inaccurate, either it tracks some of your journey, or sometimes it doesn’t track a journey at all.
•You’re not scored 100 even if you don’t touch your phone at all.
Overall: if this will get a reduction on my cover then I’ll use it, however it’s really taking the fun out of driving, and I feel like I cannot please the scoring system no matter how safe I drive. And I drive quite safely but because it averages your score you could still be scoring very poorly for factors that you can’t control.
•Easy to navigate the app
•Encourages safe driving
Cons:
•Really inconsistent, I drive on the same roads at the same speeds (most of the time I drive slightly under the limit) but scores me differently on road risk and smooth driving.
•Scores you on time of day, I have to drive sometimes between 8-9am and that brings down the score drastically, however driving at 7-8am gives you a near perfect time of day score, but if you drive in the afternoon from 3-4pm it gives you a poor time of day rating. Basically I find it hard to drive at times to please the rating.
•Inaccurate, either it tracks some of your journey, or sometimes it doesn’t track a journey at all.
•You’re not scored 100 even if you don’t touch your phone at all.
Overall: if this will get a reduction on my cover then I’ll use it, however it’s really taking the fun out of driving, and I feel like I cannot please the scoring system no matter how safe I drive. And I drive quite safely but because it averages your score you could still be scoring very poorly for factors that you can’t control.
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Response from developer
I'm sorry you've had problems with the scoring, I'd love to give them a look over for you. Please send an email to support@directline.com with your policy number and a brief description so we can investigate this for you. Tori
Good app but...
It's a good app but some issues have arisen: 1. When clicking journey map is throws me out of the app and 2. The location service is always on - normally it would come on when it sensed a fast paced movement (I.e. When I start driving) so my battery gets drained and I have to activate and deactivate the location service for driveplus to save battery. I have a iPhone 5s ( just for your reference) - please sort these bugs out and I think it will be a great app. Thanks
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Accurate, and Obvious
It's a good app, it's not perfect. Then again it's not a telematics box. But after 1161 miles of driving I'd say it's pretty accurate.
For those who have reviewed it as "inaccurate" or "low score but told my driving is good". The app is probably right, it's using well known statistics to model your driving behaviour, and 3 types of sensor to track it. You are probably a bad driver, you just think of it as being a "capable driver". You can cut across 2 lanes of traffic at 90, you can fly round roundabouts and sharp bends at speed. That's not good driving, that's good racing. You're the idiots who cause 10 people behind you to brake and tailgate till good drivers move out of your way. Sort it out, you're causing accidents.
Perhaps by using this app to develop sensible driving habits?
For those who have reviewed it as "inaccurate" or "low score but told my driving is good". The app is probably right, it's using well known statistics to model your driving behaviour, and 3 types of sensor to track it. You are probably a bad driver, you just think of it as being a "capable driver". You can cut across 2 lanes of traffic at 90, you can fly round roundabouts and sharp bends at speed. That's not good driving, that's good racing. You're the idiots who cause 10 people behind you to brake and tailgate till good drivers move out of your way. Sort it out, you're causing accidents.
Perhaps by using this app to develop sensible driving habits?
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