Every day, more than 9 people are killed and more than 1,153 people are injured in the U.S., from crashes involving a distracted driver, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Distracted driving is “any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving,” and includes:
- Texting
- Using a cell phone or smartphone
- Using a navigation system
- Watching a video
Texting or being on a call while driving is particularly dangerous because it results in drivers who are visually, manually and cognitively distracted — their eyes, hands and mind have all been taken off from the primary task of driving.
In fact, a study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) states, “Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55 mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded.”
While many states have enacted laws to ban texting while driving, many companies have taken it upon themselves to create cell phone and texting policies as well. For large-scale organizations where safety is a critical part of their mission statement, core values and company culture, the risk to employees and the public is too great not to establish “cell phone usage while driving” policies as part of their safety programs.
While some companies’ policies state that employees are not allowed to text and drive while in a company-owned vehicle, other companies’ policies are stricter. Employees can face strict consequences, including even termination, if they’re seen using their phone (whether on a call or texting) while driving any vehicle, company-owned or personal.
Organizations typically share the policy with employees by distributing it via email and posting it on bulletin boards in break rooms. One way to ensure employees have read and understood the “don’t text and drive” policy (so you hold employees accountable for their actions) is to ask them to sign off on the policy.
Using an automated policy management system , you can save time by distributing the new safety policy electronically to all employees at once. Employees receive an email notification with a link to the policy, which is stored in a central database that can be easily searched and referenced at any time. From there, you can require employees to pass a quiz about the policy or simply request a timestamp acknowledgement. In doing so, you ensure employees definitely saw, read and understood the “don’t text and drive” policy that they may or may not have seen attached to an email or posted in the company break room. Human resources managers and safety and compliance officers can also request recurring annual reminders be automatically sent to employees every year about the policy, asking them to re-sign off on it.
Want to know how you better hold your employees accountable to their job responsibilities outlined in company policies? Download our How-To Guide below.
ConvergePoint ( www.convergepoint.org ) is the leading provider of compliance software solutions on the Microsoft SharePoint platform.Compliance products offered include Policy Management Software , Contract Management Software , Conflict of Interest Disclosure and Employee Health and Safety Training Management Software .