Want cheaper car insurance? You might get it under a bill that allows insurers to track your driving habits

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Set us as preferred After experiencing the loss of three friends in auto accidents, Assemblymember Tina McKinnor decided she needed to take action.She immersed herself in the movement to improve driving safety, and now the Hawthorne Democrat is writing controversial legislation that could revolutionize how auto insurance rates are set for many California drivers.McKinnor’s Consumer Driving Data Protection Act would allow insurers to track speed, braking and other driving habits to establish a motorist’s safety record, a key component in setting individual premiums — as long as the motorist agrees to it.California Auto insurance rates are increasing throughout California for a number of reasons.

But there are ways to cut costs on your premiums, experts say.While such tracking has Big Brother overtones, the bill promises lower rates for drivers who might not have the best driving record, but can show they are now going easy on the gas and have stopped weaving in and out of traffic.Currently, a driver’s safety record is determined by the Department of Motor Vehicles’ point system, which considers a driver’s moving violations and accidents.That system would remain in place for those who don’t want insurers tracking them and looking over their shoulder every time they get behind the wheel.The use of so-called telematics, though common in other states, has raised concerns among privacy and consumer groups due to the data collected by insurers and the technology companies that provide the systems.

Critics also doubt that the systems do much to reduce collisions.“This bill forces Californians to choose between their privacy and affordable auto insurance,” said Carmen Balber, executive director of Los Angeles advocacy group Consumer Watchdog.But insurers and safety advocates argue it’s a more accurate way to determine how likely motorists are to get into a collision — and a method to encourage bet...