Driving Issue - Distractions

It’s a 21st century fact of life: millions of motorists now use cell phones when they’re driving. A recent national survey found that roughly three of every four motorists say they talk on the phone in their cars, and another one in five admits to text messaging when they’re behind the wheel.

Distracted Driving

Drivers who use a cell phone are four times more likely to be in a crash and, according to the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, are responsible for 636,000 crashes and 2,600 deaths each year. To protect your employees and their families remember to:

--Educate them on the dangers of driving while on a cell phone.
--Implement a corporate cell phone ban at your workplace.
--Support cell phone enforcement and legislation.

Distracted Driving Spreads Like Bluebonnets
Texas is all too familiar with distracted driving. According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), over the past two years distracted driving has caused over 6,500 crashes and 59 fatalities in Texas.

Last year, a San Antonio crash made national headlines after a public bus driver crashed into an SUV while texting, injuring the other driver. This crash, along with the commuter train crash in Chatsworth, California and the trolley crash in Boston, Massachusetts could lead to a nation-wide texting ban.

Ray LaHood, U.S. Transportation Secretary, announced his support for a nationwide texting ban. LaHood believes it is time for the Department of Transportation to work with Congress to pass a law that bans cell phones public transportation drivers, “We’re going to require zero tolerance when it comes to safety. We just have to.”

Hand held vs. Hands Free
Safety experts point out that talking on a cell phone distracts a motorist from paying full attention to driving. While a growing number of drivers are turning to Bluetooth headsets or other hands-free devices, many studies have concluded that hands-free cell phones aren’t any safer to use while driving than hand-held devices. It’s the conversation rather than holding a phone that brings special risks:

-- Drivers talking on cell phones look but often fail to see what’s around them.
-- Drivers will look directly at objects around them but are less likely to remember what they’ve seen when they’re talking on the phone. They also are more likely to miss traffic signals and often fail to see signs and exit ramps.
-- Driver reaction to vehicles braking in front of them can be impaired.

In fact, researchers observing more than 1,700 drivers found that three of every four drivers using cell phones committed a traffic violation. The number dropped to one of every five drivers when cell phones weren’t in the picture.

Implement a Corporate Cell Phone Ban
Driver distractions cost the U.S. economy $3.58 billion a month. In an effort to protect employees and their bottom line, many employers are implementing corporate cell phone bans. Corporate cell phone bans protect employees and their families both on and off-the-job.

A corporate cell phone ban might ask employees to:
--Turn off wireless phones or other devices before starting the car.
--Inform clients, associates and business partners why calls may not be returned immediately.
--Pull over to a safe location and put vehicle in park if a call must be made.

Learn how to implement a corporate-wide policy that bans cell phone talking and texting while driving.

Learn more about how cell phones affect drivers (PDF download)

View a webinar about how employers can reduce driver distractions with cell phone policies.

Driving Issue - Distractions

People who use a cell phone while driving are 4-5 times more likely to be in injury-causing crashes.