Distracted and Dangerous: Enhancing Fleet Driver Safety
December 15, 2011
Distracted and Dangerous: Enhancing Fleet Driver Safety
By Chuck Trunk, PHH Arval Product Manager
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has said that despite a rush by states to ban the use of cell phones while driving, there is a growing concern regarding the number of crashes. In fact, statistics have shown that of the approximately 35,000 roadway fatalities annually, at least 10 percent – possibly as much as 28 percent – of those are caused specifically by cell phone distraction.
However, by reducing driver distractions (such as cell phone use while driving), we could eliminate – or at least reduce – these types of accidents.
While there are currently no national bans for all drivers, beginning Jan. 1, 2012, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will prohibit commercial drivers from using a hand-held cell phone while operating a commercial truck or bus. The ruling will not impact hands-free devices. (See final rule for more information.)
Moving forward, however, all drivers may face a similar ban. The NTSB recently called for a nationwide ban on the use of cell phones and text messaging devices while driving. (See recent article for additional information.)
This concern over distracted driving is why, during a recent webinar, we wanted to take the opportunity to help you address driver safety. I moderated the event while guest presenters Bruce Davisson from the Center for Transportation Safety (CTS), and Matt Howard from software provider ZoomSafer highlighted that the use of cell phones and mobile devices has quickly become a major safety issue – one that has lead to the ban of hand-held cell phones for fleet operators.
To offer a solution for fleets, we partnered with the tech experts at ZoomSafer to address distracting driving and reduce liability exposure. We created PHH iNmotion, which utilizes active controls to enforce safe and legal cell phone use while driving.
iNmotion, once installed on a driver’s Blackberry or Android smartphone, will detect when an employee is driving and automatically restrict the use of a cell phone and send automated responses via text message or email.
Leveraging technology, however, is just one side of the coin. Training is the other, CTS can help you maximize compliance with company policies and reduce potential liabilities. But it’s not just training behind the wheel. Today’s training courses are in classrooms, online or in simulators. By training your drivers using multiple methods, you will see improved safety results.
Finally, if you haven’t implemented a cell phone policy, you need to consider one. To do that:
- Know your risk. Understand how many crashes the company has had in the past, the number of insurance claims and your premium history.
- Find your organizational balance of revenue and risk management.
- Review relevant regulations – such as those from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, FMCSA and your state and local regulations.
- Don’t make a policy in a vacuum. You need to talk to the people who will be using/following the policy.
- Communicate from top down. Executive sponsorship is required for a cell phone policy to be successful.
- Reward and recognize. Once a policy is in place, ensure that safe drivers are rewarded for their behavior.
- Enforce it. If you don’t plan on enforcing it, then don’t do create a policy at all.
For more information on distracted driving, see ZoomSafer’s blog, the U.S. Department of Transportation's website, or the CTS website.
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