Storyteller Overland, Wabash Trailer, and Forest River are part of this week's recall roundup

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A Travelers Insurance survey reveals many drivers still feel pressure to stay connected for work even while navigating busy holiday traffic

• Work-related distractions are common behind the wheel: A Travelers survey found many drivers are still checking emails, answering calls, and using phones for work while driving, even during busy holiday travel periods.

• Pressure to stay always on is a major risk factor: Nearly 6 in 10 employed drivers feel compelled to respond to work calls immediately, and many say workplace culture and constant notifications contribute to unsafe driving behaviors.

• Experts say prevention starts with both employers and drivers: Travelers Michael Fackler emphasizes clearer company expectations, do not disturb while driving tools, and simple habits like putting phones out of reach and planning ahead before hitting the road.

As Americans hit the road for summer holidays like the Fourth of July, traffic isnt the only thing competing for drivers attention. New data from Travelers highlights a growing and often overlooked issue: work-related distractions behind the wheel.

According to the survey, nearly half of employed drivers admit to checking emails or texts while driving, and more than half say they actively use their phones on the road. Even more striking, almost six in 10 say they feel pressured to answer work calls while driving blurring the line between off the clock and on the road.

With AAA projecting tens of millions of people traveling by car during peak holiday weekends, experts warn that this kind of multitasking can have serious consequences. ConsumerAffairs spoke with Travelers transportation risk control expert Michael Fackler who explained that the data points to a persistent challenge for both drivers and employers: reducing the expectation to stay connected when attention should be fully on the road.

The rise of work-related distracted driving

Fackler explained that there are several factors that contribute to work-related distracted driving, including an always-on workplace culture, technology that blurs the line between the office and the road, and a misunderstanding of the personal risk associated with driving while distracted.

He shared some key insights from a March 2026 Travelers survey of 1,000 working, driving Americans:

• 67% of respondents reporting they can access work communications while behind the wheel, including work emails, calls and messaging platforms.

• About four in 10 said that they frequently or sometimes answer a work call while driving. Nearly six in 10 said that they feel compelled to respond to a work call the moment it comes in.

• Almost half indicated feeling a sense of urgency to respond to a work text or chat message.

• 28% of those who said that they engage with work while driving believe they can do it safely.

• Fear of missing something important was cited by 27% of our respondents

• 26% said that hard-to-ignore notifications appearing on their vehicles screen are a contributing factor.

• 25% said that they engage without really thinking about it.

• 23% said the culprit is the workplace culture itself an environment that implicitly or explicitly demands an immediate response to work-related communications.

That dynamic makes holiday weekends like the Fourth of July a timely reminder, Fackler said. The potential for more drivers on the road means less margin for error, and the same work culture pressures our survey identified dont disappear because its a holiday.

Changing company culture

The survey findings point to a need for a change in company culture.

When leaders call or message employees who they know are on the road, it signals that immediate and constant availability is expected, regardless of what any policy may say, Fackler said. The most important thing that employers can do is make it clear that no call, text or email is worth a life.

The commitment to safety must start at the top, with managers modeling the behavior they want to see in their employees by waiting until appropriate times to communicate in general, and especially on holiday weekends. If there is an urgent reason to communicate, leaders must manage those communications carefully and make sure that an employee is safely parked before reaching out.

Preventing distracted driving

There are several technological tools available to help consumers prevent distracted driving. Here are Facklers top recommendations:

• Telematics systems. For fleet environments, telematics systems are among the most practical tools available to employers today. These platforms can monitor driving behavior in real time, tracking metrics like phone use, harsh braking, speed and time behind the wheel. When that data feeds into a coaching program, it can meaningfully change driver behavior over time.

• Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). This includes lane departure warnings, automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring. These tools provide an active safety layer that can help reduce the consequence of a momentary lapse in attention, though they are not substitutes for attentive driving.

• Advanced phone features. For individual employees using personal vehicles for work travel, employers can encourage or require the use of built-in do not disturb while driving features, which are now standard on both iOS and Android mobile devices.

Staying safe on the road

Ahead of the holiday weekend, Hackler shared his best tips to minimize distracted driving and ensure drivers are safe on the roads.

The reality of holiday weekend travel is that you will share the road with drivers who are distracted some by work, some by personal communications, some by fatigue after long drives, Fackler said. The most important thing any driver can do is build in an extra margin: more following distance, lower speeds in heavy traffic, and heightened awareness at intersections and on-ramps, where conflicts are most common.

Here are some more tips:

• Plan before you pull out. Set your GPS, set up your playlist and check traffic information before you start to drive. Once youre moving, those tasks become distractions. This is one of the most effective preparation habits and should be universal.

• Put the phone somewhere that you cant reach it easily, or use your phones driving mode so notifications are automatically suppressed. Research suggests that simply knowing a notification is waiting creates a cognitive pull. Removing access to your phone eliminates the temptation to answer a call.

• If you have passengers, ask them to help manage navigation and communications. A co-pilot arrangement is one of the most effective and underused tools available for safer driving.

• If youre exhausted, dont try to push through. Fatigue impairs driving in ways that are comparable to alcohol impairment, and tiredness combined with the distraction of a buzzing phone compounds the risk. Stop, rest and resume when youre alert.

• If you know someone is on the road, dont call or text them. Being the person on the other end of a distracted drivers phone is a risk to them we can all choose to avoid.

A new survey finds nearly three in 10 Americans have faced phishing or identity theft after their personal information appeared online

• Nearly three in 10 consumers say they've been targeted by phishing or identity theft after their personal information was exposed online, according to a new survey from Cloaked.

• Experts warn that AI tools can make scattered personal information easier to find and use, potentially helping scammers craft more convincing attacks.

• While completely erasing your digital footprint is difficult, regularly auditing your online presence, removing old accounts, and tightening privacy settings can help reduce your risk.

Scammers have always looked for ways to exploit personal information, but new technology and the sheer amount of data available online are making those schemes more sophisticated and harder to avoid.

A new survey from privacy company Cloaked found that nearly three in 10 consumers say they have been targeted by phishing attempts or identity theft after their personal information was exposed online.

At the same time, many Americans worry that too much of their information is publicly available, while others remain unaware that AI tools can surface details about them with a simple search.

ConsumerAffairs spoke with Annmarie Giblin, chief compliance officer and deputy general counsel at Cloaked, who explained that consumers need to understand what information is already out there and take steps to limit their exposure before scammers, employers, or even strangers use it against them.

An ongoing process

Giblin explained that one of the biggest hurdles to removing personal data from the internet is the tension between the complexity of the data economy and the need to share personal information in order to live in our world.

Most people don't know much about the data broker economy nor do they understand how their data is collected, bought, and sold, and how it creates a never ending loop of sharing and selling, she said.

This also makes data removal a constant process, because a person can successfully delete their personal information from one broker, only to find the same information republished somewhere else weeks later. Most people expect a single opt-out process; but in reality, its a whack-a-mole type of problem that requires persistence and repeated follow-up.

The risks of personal information on the internet

Cloakeds survey revealed that 47% of consumers don't know they can search themselves on AI tools like ChatGPT. Its important for consumers to understand that while there are risks of personal data surfacing on these platforms, there are also ways to protect yourself.

The risk with AI search is that it can make scattered personal information appear organized, summarized, and easier to digest and use, Giblin said. A standard search engine might show a list of links, but an AI tool can connect context across sources in a way that makes a persons digital footprint easy to understand at a glance.

While this can be useful for consumers doing a self-audit, it can also help scammers or bad actors build more convincing messages or assumptions about someone especially if they layer behavioral analytics onto the data points to build a psychological profile on the individual.

Pro tip: Giblin recommends that consumers search their name, phone number, email, and city across search engines, people-search sites, and AI tools. Then, remove what you can, tighten social media privacy settings, and avoid posting real-time location (including vacations) or identifying details publicly.

What to do if your data is part of a public exposure

Giblin explained that most people have a lot of personal information exposed and they don't even realize it.

However, if youre notified about a data breach that impacts you, or if you realize your information is somewhere where it shouldnt be, here are some tips:

• First try to document exactly where the information appears before trying to remove it.

• Request removal from the source.

• Change passwords on key accounts.

• Turn on multi-factor authentication.

• Monitor for unusual activity across bank, credit, email, and phone accounts.

• Remain skeptical of sudden texts, calls, or emails that reference personal details.

Scammers often use exposed information to make their outreach feel legitimate, Giblin said. And as noted, because everyone's information is already out there, it's a safe bet to assume that it could also be in the hands of someone who might misuse it and keep that skepticism for unknown reachouts.

Can you reduce your digital footprint?

The survey found that 50% of consumers feel their information is too public. If youre trying to reduce your digital footprint, here are Giblins top tips:

• Do a digital audit every few months. Search your name, phone number, email address, usernames, and city.

• Remove people-search listings.

• Close accounts you no longer use.

• Update privacy settings.

• Separate your professional presence from your personal life as much as possible.

• Set alerts for your name.

• Be intentional about what you post going forward, especially anything tied to your location, family members, workplace, or daily routines.

• Avoid things like just giving out your phone number at stores and freely sharing information for discounts and other benefits.

You may not be able to erase yourself from the internet completely, but you can make your information harder to find and exploit, Giblin said.

Why this retail partnership could mean bigger savings

• One rewards account, two stores. Shoppers can now earn and redeem rewards at both JCPenney and Aropostale, with every 200 points earning a $10 CashPass.

• Free bonus for joining. New members get a $10 CashPass through JCPenney or a $5 CashPass through Aropostale, plus chances to earn extra rewards through shopping challenges.

• Good news for families. Combining purchases across both stores can help shoppers earn rewards faster, especially during back-to-school season.

Loyalty programs are everywhere these days, but most come with the one major limitation that you can only earn and spend rewards at a single retailer.

That's changing for shoppers at JCPenney and Aropostale.

Starting Monday, June 22, parent company Catalyst Brands is launching Rewards Access, a new loyalty program that lets customers earn and redeem rewards across both retailers. In other words, purchases at either store can help unlock discounts that can be used at either brand.

For families juggling back-to-school shopping, clothing purchases, and home essentials, the new program could make it easier to earn rewards faster.

How Rewards Access works

The program combines rewards earning between JCPenney and Aropostale.

Customers earn points when shopping at either retailer, and every 200 points unlocks a $10 CashPass reward that can be redeemed at either store.

Catalyst Brands is also adding bonus earning opportunities through shopping challenges. Customers can earn an additional $5 CashPass for completing certain activities, many of which are tied to everyday shopping habits such as:

• Shopping early for back-to-school

• Buying home essentials

• Trying new beauty products

• Refreshing seasonal wardrobes

New members can also receive a welcome reward just for signing up.

How do shoppers sign-up for the program

You can sign-up online at both JCPenney.com or Aeropostale.com, as well as in-store at both retailers.

If you sign-up through JCPenneys website, youll get $10 CashPass for free, and if you sign-up through Aeropostales website, youll receive a $5 CashPass.

Why this matters

Most retailer rewards programs keep customers locked into a single brand. The advantage here is increased flexibility.

For example, a parent buying school clothes for a teenager at Aropostale could use those purchases to earn rewards that are later redeemed at JCPenney for home goods, shoes, beauty products, or additional apparel.

The shared rewards pool may also help occasional shoppers reach reward thresholds faster than they would through a traditional single-store program.

Catalyst Brands also owns Brooks Brothers, Lucky Brand, and Nautica. It will be interesting to watch if these brands get included in this joint rewards program in the future.

Tips to maximize the program

• Sign up before making your next purchase. The "welcome reward" alone can provide immediate value on a future purchase.

• Stack rewards with sales and coupons. Both retailers regularly run promotions, and rewards are often most valuable when combined with already-discounted merchandise.

• Watch for bonus challenges. Completing simple shopping tasks could unlock extra CashPass rewards without requiring additional spending.

• Use one account for the family. Consolidating purchases into a single loyalty account can help households earn rewards more quickly.