Did you understand {that a} driver touring at simply 25 mph covers the size of 4 soccer fields whereas getting into an handle right into a navigation app? Navigation techniques are only one contributor to distracted driving; cell telephones, radios, in-vehicle applied sciences, and even hands-free units divert drivers’ consideration, posing severe dangers.

Social media is one other issue, with drivers continuously partaking in actions like scrolling by way of Fb, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat and even taking (and posting) movies and pictures from behind the wheel. Analysis exhibits that a whopping 70% of drivers used their cell telephones whereas driving within the final three months. 

As many as one in three U.S. adults admits to utilizing some type of know-how whereas driving, and the numbers are possible larger. With that many distracted drivers on the street, it is possible that a lot of them are your workers.

Does your organization have a distracted driving coverage? If not, listed here are 5 causes to think about implementing one.

#1: Distracted Driving Kills.

“Distracted driving” is outlined as driving whereas doing one other exercise that takes your eyes off the street, your fingers off the wheel, or your thoughts off driving.

In 2022, almost one in six crashes on Texas roads alone have been brought on by a distracted driver during which 487 folks died and a couple of,824 have been critically injured. 

By establishing, implementing, and implementing a distracted driving coverage, you possibly can enhance the security of your workers, in addition to others on the street.

 #2: Distracted Driving Is Unlawful.

Know the legal guidelines in your state. Distracted driving isn’t simply harmful — it is unlawful. Most states have distracted driving legal guidelines on the books, they usually’re punishable by substantial fines and even jail time, relying on the severity of the offense.

In some states, it is unlawful to make use of a cellphone whereas behind the wheel — even when it is hands-free. Texting whereas driving is illegitimate in most states, and there are legal guidelines prohibiting writing and studying texts, e-mails, and instantaneous messages whereas on the street. Many states additionally prohibit drivers beneath a sure age from utilizing any handheld gadget whereas driving.

The Federal Motor Provider Security Administration (FMCSA) prohibits all business drivers from utilizing hand-held cellular units.

#3: Distracting Driving Can Price Your Firm Huge Bucks.

The reality is, when your drivers are responsible of distracted driving, they’re opening your organization as much as main liabilities. When an worker is on firm time or driving an organization car, it is the corporate that’s finally accountable.

In response to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, there have been a complete of 5,190 deadly work accidents in 2021, up 8.9% from 2020. The fee per medically consulted harm in 2021 was $42,000, whereas the associated fee per dying was $1,340,000. These figures embody estimates of wages, losses, medical bills, administrative bills, and employer prices. This quantity contains the price of the motorcar however not potential property injury. The overall value of work-related accidents in 2021 was 167 billion {dollars}. 

The underside line is that this: If an worker is concerned in a crash whereas driving an organization car and even whereas utilizing an organization cellphone, the employer is finally accountable.

#4: Distracted Driving Is Dangerous for Enterprise.

In case your drivers are distracted as a result of they’re dealing with enterprise or customer support calls from behind the wheel, they don’t seem to be doing their finest to symbolize your organization.

Not solely does it look dangerous if an worker is driving an organization car whereas speaking on the cellphone — and even worse, standing beside an organization car concerned in a crash, holding up site visitors in a busy intersection — however when drivers are distracted, they aren’t giving the required consideration to their jobs.

That stated, make sure that your managers and management aren’t a part of the issue. Make it a coverage that workers can’t name or textual content drivers once they’re out on the street, and do not permit drivers to simply accept calls or texts. As an alternative, think about a coverage of “no private electronics whereas behind the wheel,” and prohibit using navigation techniques to when the automobiles are in park.

#5: Distracted Driving Is a Dangerous Driving Behavior.

By implementing a distracted driving coverage on your firm, you are additionally serving to reinforce protected driving habits for workers once they aren’t on firm time.

One of the best coverage is for all drivers to regulate their mirrors, temperature, seats, radios, and navigation techniques earlier than they put their automobiles within the drive. Drivers must also flip off cell telephones and put them out of attain to keep away from the urge to reply them or learn and reply to texts.

Make the risks of distracted driving clear to your workers, in order that the following time they get of their automobiles, they may have already got protected driving habits in place.

To be taught extra about tips on how to implement a distracted driver coverage and enhance driver security on your fleet, contact the Smith System group of consultants right this moment or join our DriverTrainer™ course under! DriverTrainer™ is a one-day course based mostly on The Smith5Keys® confirmed to scale back dangers on the street. Multi-company options are additionally accessible for companies with just a few drivers, and bigger regional periods can be found if what you are promoting has drivers in a number of areas.