The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for individuals under 55 years old. In response, the National Safety Council (NSC) promotes April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month to raise the consciousness of this driving danger and encourage motorists to remove distractions. These crashes cost an estimated $46 million each year and have influenced commercial auto insurance premiums to skyrocket. Employers should pay heed as it has become a serious and costly problem for businesses that are being held liable for employee crashes.

The 4 Types of Distracted Driving

Visual Distractions

These disruptions involve motorists taking their focus off the road. Visual vehicular distractions can include emails, text messages, passengers, maps, navigation systems and nearby activities (e.g., accidents, traffic stops, roadside attractions). Texting is the most disruptive and alarming distraction. The National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) reports that sending or reading a text can take a driver’s eyes off the road for five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s the equivalent of driving the length of a football field with eyes closed.

Manual Distractions

A manual interruption entails motorists removing their hands from the steering wheel. Examples include texting, adjusting the radio, programming navigation systems, eating, drinking or personal grooming (e.g., applying makeup). Reiterate to employees manual diversions should only be performed before or after their trip.

Cognitive Distractions

This interference stems from motorists taking their minds and focuses off of driving. Primary examples include talking on the phone, chatting with passengers or daydreaming. Driver focus is imperative as the CDC reports one in five distracted-driver deaths involves individuals outside a vehicle (e.g., walking, riding bikes).

Auditory Distractions

Sound-based disruptions are noises that take the driver's attention away from the road. Examples of these distractions can include cellphone calls, text messages and loud music. Remind employees to ignore their cellphones while driving and keep their music volume at a reasonable level to lower these risks. 

Tips to Prevent Your Employees From Driving Distracted

Insist Drivers Put Their Cellphones Away

Minimize temptations by requiring employees to silence and store their cell phones out of reach while driving. An NHTSA survey found nearly 700,000 drivers utilize their cell phones or other electronic devices at any given moment while driving. Employers should be concerned as the NCS has reported that drivers are four times as likely to crash while using a cell phone.

Suggest Drivers Plan for their Route 

Encourage your employees to review their trip before leaving. Programming the navigation system before hitting the road will help drivers become familiar with the journey and more confident in the route. Request that employees refrain from reading maps or directions while driving. Recommend they instead pull into a parking lot to get their bearings and determine how to reach the final destination.

Recommend Drivers Prepare a Music Playlist 

Suggest employees refrain from fumbling with a music playlist. Instead, they should select a radio station or a predetermined playlist before driving to limit the need for music adjustments. Recommend that music selection changes only occur when the vehicle is at a complete stop.

Encourage Drivers to Avoid Multitasking

Employees should never complete additional tasks (e.g., eating, personal grooming) behind the wheel. Ban employee smoking while driving as it takes their attention from the road.

Make it a Priority for Drivers to Stay Focused

Remind employees to concentrate their minds on the road by keeping distracting conversations to a minimum and looking straight ahead. Distractions while behind the wheel can lead to dangerous, and even fatal, consequences. A responsible motorist makes paying attention to the road the number one priority.

We’re Here to Help Protect Against Distracted Driving Accidents

Many states have texting and hands-free device laws to prevent distracted driving. The Governor’s Highway Safety Association provides information on distracted driving laws. We also recommend you review all potential legal barriers before initiating any driving policies.