Being a good driver pays off - literally. Many auto insurers offer safe-driving discounts that can save drivers hundreds of dollars a year, and possibly thousands over their lifetime. While these discounts offer substantial financial benefits to the driver, they’re just as important to the insurer, said Maya Afilalo, industry analyst at car insurance marketplace AutoInsurance.com. “Safe drivers save insurers money and lower their financial risk,” Afilalo told The Independent in an email. “These discounts are a financial incentive for customers to drive safely, which saves insurers more money in the long run.” Knowing how these programs work and what consumers can do to get them is the first step in getting a safe-driving discount. The modern safe-driving discount emerged in the 1990s - but didn’t catch on in popularity until the 2010s, when smartphone technology made the tracking a lot less expensive (Getty Images) Discount dynamics The modern safe-driving discount emerged in the 1990s.…