1. Be clear and honest about what you’re doing and why.

TRUCE gives you the ability to enforce your existing mobile device policies, which in many cases is probably not a new subject for your organization. Remind your employees why the policy exists in the first place – to protect their safety and well-being as well as that of your business and communities you serve. Share how this is a change for the entire organization — the way you work and communicate – not just for the employees that will be using the app.

However, you decide to explain the implementation of TRUCE, avoid trying to put a spin on the message. That is only going to make it look like you’re trying to hide something. Use simple, straightforward language and you’ll gain your employees’ trust.

2. Tell your employees what’s in it for them.

The business reasons for why you’re choosing to implement TRUCE are great for the business, but your employees undoubtedly want to know what’s in it for them. Why will TRUCE be a good thing for them?  It probably won’t surprise you to know that not everyone is going to like this change so it’s important to acknowledge that and focus on the upsides for the employee. How about some quiet time in the car or truck?  No calls or texts from your coworkers or manager distracting you from enjoying the ride. You’ll get to your next stop without issue. No more audible alerts pulling your attention away from what you’re working on. Maybe you’ll get done sooner! There’s almost always an upside to any change. Find that and communicate it to your employees.

3. Explain the how’s and when of implementation.

Most people don’t feel comfortable dealing with the unknown. Your employees will feel more comfortable with the change if they understand what’s going to happen and when. If there’s anything your employees need to do to help with implementation, be sure to explain that as well. It’s critical to outline what needs to be done and by when. Keep the explanation direct and succinct. Use bullet points or numbered steps at the end of the communication to highlight what to expect.

4. Consider delivering the message from the top.

The best way to show how this is a change that is being embraced across the organization is to communicate the change from the top down. Whether that’s the CEO of the company or the leader of the group implementing TRUCE, consider developing a clear message delivered by the most senior leader in the organization and then encouraging the directors and managers to discuss what’s happening in more detail with their teams.

5. Lastly, create an opportunity for feedback.

Make sure you’ve created the necessary channels of communications for your employees to share their experiences – the positives and the negatives – with the administrators of TRUCE. Provide FAQs to address their most likely questions but ensure there’s a more direct channel of communication for employees to express their concerns or ask questions.

Implementing TRUCE is a big step towards leveraging the best the mobile device has to offer your workforce, while protecting what’s most important to your business – your employees, your assets and your community. Being clear, straightforward and open with your employees about the change they are about to experience will be key to your successful implementation.

The post Five Tips for Communicating the Introduction of TRUCE to Your Employees appeared first on TRUCE.

If a company follows a few basic distracted driving prevention strategies, they will take a major step towards reducing accidents and crash risks in their organization.

It really comes down to two crucial requirements:

1. Knowing the full range of the dangers of distracted driving, distracted driving laws and the consequences of distracted driving incidents.
2. Building a strong safety culture through policy, training, employee buy-in and technology supports.

-KNOW WHAT’S AT STAKE-

Employers must educate themselves and their employees on the full impact of a distracted driving incident on their company’s reputation and bottom line.

So let’s talk about the statistics.

Facts about Distracted driving for fleet drivers, indeed for any company that runs commercial fleet vehicles on the road, can be divided into:

1. Statistics related to the inherent hazards of distracted driving
2. Statistics related to the financial consequences of liability

1.) Statistics related to the HAZARDS of distracted driving behaviors:

Cell phone distraction involves all types of driver distractions: visual, manual and cognitive. This latter one is the less obvious of the three distractions, but is no less dangerous. Cognitive distraction involves taking one’s mind off the road and dispels once and for all the myth of multitasking: The driver errors most often associated with cognitive distraction are blindness caused by inattention (inattention blindness), slower reaction times and problems staying in lane. Both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation provide further information and facts on these three types of driving distractions, as well as tips on safe driving habits to prevent them.

The statistics tell us that the results of being distracted while driving are deadly:

• Research studies have found that the risk of a crash is four times as likely when a person is using a cell phone – for both a handheld or hands-free cell.

• Every day in the United States, approximately 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver

• The National Safety Council estimates 25% of accidents involve cell phones (21% phone conversations; 4% texting and driving)

• Distracted driving claimed 3,450 lives in 2016 alone.

• Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of workplace death (fatal crashes), accounting for 24% of all fatal occupational injuries.

2.) Statistics related to the dangers of distracted driving behaviors in terms of LIABILITY :

Today’s juries are reacting very strongly to distracted driving cell phone crashes that are violating driving laws. They are awarding very large damages, and any employers or fleet managers who do not have an enforced ban on cellphones are putting their company at financial risk.

Believe the figures:

•$21 million for a beverage company after one of its drivers crashed their vehicle while talking on a hands-free device (in accordance with company policy), seriously injuring the other driver

•$16.1 million for a lumber distributor when one of their sales people rear-ended another car while talking on a cellphone, seriously injuring the driver

•$21.6 million for a technology company when one of their drivers, while using a cellphone, crashed into another vehicle and killed someone

•$8.7 million when a state trooper, while talking on his cell phone, crashed head-on with another car, killing two people

-BUILD A SAFE DRIVING CULTURE-

Distracted driving prevention depends on four key strategies:

1. Implementing a total safe driving policy based on what research (and law enforcement) identifies as distracted driving behaviors that increase accidents and crash risk
2. Training employees in distracted driving awareness and the dangers of distracted driving
3. Building employee buy-in
4. Introducing technology solutions

While employers can never be 100% protected in the event of a lawsuit, they will be in a far more defensible position if they can show that they followed these practices.

1.) IMPLEMENT A TOTAL SAFE DRIVING POLICY:

Employers can play a leading role to prevent distracted driving in their workplace by putting in place a total, best-practices driving policy.

What this means is that the policy must cover the following:

• All of a company’s employees, not just the fleet drivers

• All handheld and hands-free devices (Note: Over 30 research studies compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have found that a hands-free device offers no safety benefit while driving, because a hands-free cell does not eliminate the cognitive distraction of conversation)

• All company motor vehicles from fleet trucks to a sales person’s car

• All company mobile phone devices

• All work-related communications, even in personal vehicles or on personal cell phones

The National Safety Council recommends employers (or their safety administration) issue an organization-wide safe driving policy that features a total cell phone ban, that is, a ban on all the worst distracted driving and risky driving behaviors associated with cell phone usage like texting, calling, checking social media, and browsing.

The policy should state that:

•Employees are not permitted to use electronic devices, either handheld or hands-free, while they are driving

• Employees are not permitted to answer calls while driving. Incoming calls must be directed to voicemail.

• Employees are not permitted to read or respond to emails or text messages while driving.

• If an employee has to make an emergency call (911), they must park the motor vehicle in a safe location before making the call

• Employees are not permitted to use any cell phone device while driving in any vehicle during work hours or for work-related purposes

Employers may want to broaden their policies to cover the following: off-the-job use of company-issued wireless devices, use of personally-owned devices that are reimbursed by the company, and use of devices in a company-provided motor vehicle. Moreover, 24/7 bans on all work-related cell phone use while driving should also be considered.

NOTE: Cell phone bans have NO NEGATIVE impact on productivity:

Most employers with total ban cell phone policies report that the policies do not adversely impact productivity. In fact, the opposite occurs and productivity improves. Research Institutes have published studies over the past decade that provide evidence to the massive hindrance to productivity caused by cell phones in the workplace and prove ample evidence to dispel the common myth of cell phones increasing workplace productivity. Here are some cases attesting to this:

• In a 2009 survey, only 1% of 469 National Safety Council members that had implemented total cell phone bans reported that productivity decreased

• A 2010 survey of Fortune 500 companies that had introduced total cell phone bans found that only 7% of respondents said productivity decreased, while 19% thought productivity had actually increased

• Before international engineering firm AMEC implemented its total cell phone ban, more than half of employees expected productivity to decrease. The company, which has a large professional field force, actually found that 96% of its employees reported productivity stayed the same or even increased.

2.) TRAIN EMPLOYEES TO BE SAFE:

Providing ongoing education to staff about the grave implications of distracted driving crashes on a business and the benefits of a comprehensive distracted driving policy, including a total cell phone ban, doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking.

The National Safety Council recommends companies to:

• Create an Implementation Team. You should include people from senior leadership, finance, marketing/communications, human resources, your fleet operations, your safety team and others interested in this issue.

• Involve an organization-wide team of safety representatives and communicators to lead a campaign to educate employees about the policy. Often referred to as a company’s safety administration.

Such a campaign can feature:

• Seminars at key stages in the process (before implementation, during roll-out, annual renewal etc.)
• Training days to be attended by employees from all levels of the organization
• Posters and infographics displayed in key locations
• Digital notifications reminding employees of what is required of them in the company’s best-practices policy

So what are the crucial objectives of a distracted driving awareness campaign:

• Breaking your employees’ worst distracted driving habits (calling/texting while driving, etc.)

• Dispelling myths such as those discussed above (multitasking is possible, cell phone bans impact productivity, hands-free devices are safer than handheld devices).

• Educating employees about the potentially disastrous health and safety and financial consequences of distracted driving accidents. Drivers must be made aware of all the distracted driving statistics for fleet drivers.

• Educating employees about federal agency regulations and federal, state and municipal distracted driver laws and policies.

• Reassuring employees that traffic safety and highway safety is a company priority and that they will be rewarded, rather than penalized, for complying with that policy.

3.) BUILD EMPLOYEE BUY IN

A distracted driving policy will only be successful if employees actively support it. A survey of NSC members showed the importance of employee buy-in; employers without policies reported that “lack of employee support” was the primary barrier to implementing a total safe driving policy. When employers with successful policies report what works, much of their advice is not about the policy itself, but about training, inspiring and involving employees. Organizations that have successfully introduced a safe-driving culture point to the following tips to build employee support for a distraction-free policy.

Tips to build employee support:

• Don’t spring a new policy on employees, that is, don’t surprise them. This could result in long-term negativity and lack of respect for the policy. Hold open meetings prior to implementation to discuss the need for a policy. When unions are involved, the union steward is an important stakeholder, so a pre-meeting with union reps should be held to get them on board.

• Acknowledge that the policy will change deeply ingrained habits such as calling or texting while driving, and might bring initial stress. Give employees the freedom to discuss potential barriers, conflicts with their beliefs, so that those “objections” can be addressed and overcome.

• Involve cross-department employees to offer solutions to these concerns and other barriers to implementation. This will make employees feel part of the decision-making and will reinforce the social support for the policy.

• Top management must be seen to support the policy. If you don’t have leadership commitment, consider delaying employee roll-out until you do have complete management buy-in.

• Share ideas to maintain productivity with employees. Employees will then have an objective to meet job goals without temptation to use the phone while driving.

• Have a mix of senior management, front-line supervisors, union representatives, and other employees serve as spokespeople for the new policy process.

• After a policy has been implemented, positive results must be communicated to employees.

• Ensure that policy enforcement is consistent, across the board, with no exceptions.

4.) GET HELP FROM TECHNOLOGY

Superior distracted driving solutions such as TRUCE can be introduced to hone your policy for long-term success.

Distracted driving systems can be used to eliminate mobile distractions while driving. Award-winning distraction-prevention systems such as TRUCE gives administrators complete control over employee mobile device usage behind the wheel. Managers can thus enforce policies that prohibit emailing, texting, calling, and any other inappropriate usage while allowing mission-critical apps through the system. TRUCE also collects a robust set of driver behavior data, resulting is unsurpassed measurement, control and feedback that improves performance.

If you do turn to technology to help you enforce a safe driving policy and prevent distractions, carry out regular checks to ensure that they are successfully changing employees’ distracted driving behaviors.

In summary, distracted driving prevention depends, firstly, on understanding the full range of consequences of distracted driving crashes and, secondly, building a safe driving culture in your business through an all-inclusive policy, adequate training, employee buy-in and technology.

Want More Distracted Driving Facts and Statistics? Check out our Distracted Driving White Paper For Fleets Today!

The post How Employers Can Improve Their Distracted Driving Prevention Strategies appeared first on TRUCE.

For health and safety officials and fleet managers responsible for coordinating a company’s commercial fleet, the distraction problem is even more pressing. In addition to the obvious safety concerns (motor vehicle crashes are the largest cause of workplace fatalities and represent 23% of all workplace deaths), failure to adhere to safe driving procedures has serious commercial, legal and operational implications for a business.

Implementing a comprehensive distracted driving policy, starting with a total ban on the use of mobile devices in the workplace, is one thing; enforcing that policy is even more daunting. To help with enforcing a safe driving policy, businesses ought to at least consider turning to distracted driving software and distracted driving apps. These particular tech solutions are designed to eliminate distractions by giving administrators complete control over mobile device usage behind the wheel. As such, distracted driving apps have become a key tool in increasing distracted driving awareness, avoiding crashes, and ultimately protecting employees and the communities in which they operate, while also increasing efficiency and reducing payouts due to distracted driving claims and settlements.

Before we take a look at the problem of distracted driving and TRUCE’s unique solution to it, let’s take a closer look at distracted driving apps in more detail. We’ll do this by asking a number of key questions.

1.) WHAT ARE DISTRACTED DRIVING APPS AND HOW DO THEY WORK?

Distracted driving apps are technology solutions specifically designed to disable mobile devices while a vehicle is in motion. These apps employ cell phone blocking technology, allowing drivers to stay focused on the road by prohibiting them from making or accepting calls, sending or receiving text messages or accessing the internet.

Distracted driving apps work in a variety of ways depending on, for example, who they are designed for (families, teenagers, commercial fleets, all of the above), or the range of technology capabilities they offer (How customizable are they? Do they incorporate rating scales and reward systems? Who controls them?).

Irrespective of how they function or their scalability, distracted driving apps are key tools in the ongoing fight against distracted driving crashes on the roads today.

2.) ARE DISTRACTED DRIVING APPS EFFECTIVE?

We have to start changing our driving habits. The temptation to call, read emails, use social media or start texting while driving is so ingrained in people one wonders how effective distracted driving apps can actually be.

Well, the straight answer is that they can be extremely effective. TRUCE, one of the world’s leading provider of technology solutions to stop distracted driving for passenger cars and commercial vehicles, will attest to that: Its worldwide customers report that they have achieved and validated a fifty-fold Return on Investment on its solution in the first year and reduced motor vehicle accidents by 30-50%.

By giving administrators complete control over employee mobile device usage behind the wheel, TRUCE has created a highly effective solution to combating the dangerous habit of driving while distracted. Managers can create safe driving policies that eliminate access to texts, email, handheld calls, games and any other inappropriate app usage while allowing mission-critical apps through the system.

3.) WHAT ARE A TYPICAL FLEET MANAGERS’ MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT DISTRACTED DRIVING APPS

-They are a generic, one-size-fits all solution and therefore inadequate for our company’s employees and drivers?

Not true. The system is customizable at a driver level, enabling employees from different divisions to have different protection settings on the same account.

-My business fleet is too small for this solution?

Not at all. A key part of TRUCE’s rollout has been to ensure it has been optimized for deployment across businesses of any size.

-I’ll never get my head around this. It’s far too complicated?

Not as much as you think. To implement and operate a distracted driving app is quite straightforward. You simply activate the system online, download the app to drivers’ smartphones and install the companion device in your car or truck (windshield or under the dashboard).

-What if one of my drivers absolutely needs to use their phone, either in an emergency or work-related situation?

They can. These systems are designed to always permit drivers to call 911. Similarly, the best commercial driving distracted software technologies like TRUCE will always allow mission-critical app usage through the system (as long as the motor vehicle is not moving).

-Knowing my luck, it won’t be compatible with our company’s smartphones?

Of course it will. The system supports Apple iPhone and iOS devices (4S and newer), as well as Android devices (4.3 and newer), delivering the same quality user experience regardless of the environment.

-What’s stopping a driver from tampering with, or even switching off, their cell blocking app?

TRUCE is a piece of hardware that is installed in each vehicle in a company fleet, ensuring the technology is tamper proof and always working. If an app is deactivated by a driver, the administrators controlling the software are notified through the system (in the case of a teen driver, parents will be notified by e-mail or text).

4.) WHAT SEPARATES TRUCE FROM OTHER APPS?

TRUCE’s platform is used by Fortune 500 companies worldwide to help companies reduce the expense and liability related to distracted driving. TRUCE’s 80,000+ current subscribers across hundreds of global companies trust this patented, award-winning technology to protect their employees every day due to its unique combination of features not found with any other distracted driving product on the market.

This begs the following question: What does TRUCE do that the others don’t?

• TRUCE gives administrators total control over employee mobile device usage behind the wheel. Fleet managers can devise policies that eliminate texting, emailing, calling or using inappropriate apps while allowing mission-critical communications through the system.
• An individual employee’s phone use policy can be customized to, for example, limit incoming calls to those coming only from fleet managers or allow them to use drivemode apps like navigation, all while blocking games, social media or other distracting apps.
• TRUCE is easy to implement on a technical level. The system can be smoothly deployed through the App Store or through a company’s existing Mobile Device Management System.
• TRUCE improves drivers’ performance by collecting a robust set of behavior data in order to score phone use, as well as each speed and maneuver category (acceleration, cornering, braking etc.). The result is unsurpassed measurement, control and feedback that improves performance.

Distracted driving apps are key tools used by businesses to increase profitability through distracted driving prevention, and TRUCE is spearheading the sea change in peoples’ behaviour on the road through its innovate safe driving systems.

The post Everything There Is To Know About Distracted Driving Apps appeared first on TRUCE.

Commercial driving crashes as a result of distracted driving are happening all too frequently. To stamp out the habit of distracted driving, with specific reference to the question of how to prevent employee texting and driving crashes, companies need to follow a number of key guidelines.

Know the health and safety consequences of texting while driving

Distracted driving is deadly. In 2016, 3,450 people were killed as a result of distracted driving crashes. And of all the distractions a modern driver may face, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finds that texting is the most dangerous and alarming.

This is even more relevant for drivers of commercial motor vehicles, which because of their size can cause more serious accidents and injuries. Research shows that drivers of commercial motor vehicles who text are more than 23 times likely to be involved in a safety-critical event than those who do not. According to the NHTSA, reading a text while driving at 55 miles per hour takes one’s eyes off the road the equivalent amount of time as driving across a football field blindfolded. And the problem is getting worse, not better: In 2015, the most recent year data is available, the number of large trucks or buses involved in fatal accidents rose by 8 percent.

Texting while driving, then, is one of the most dangerous distractions in a commercial vehicle. Texting, reading or sending messages takes your eyes, hands, and mind off the task of driving. A driver must use the buttons on the phone to open or write a message, which takes at least one hand off the steering wheel. They have to read or think about what they intend to write, which also takes their mind off the road.

Fleet and general managers need to remember something important here: Multitasking is a myth. Human brains do not perform two tasks at the same time. When it tries to do this, cognitive distraction is the result, causing potential motor vehicle crashes, death and injury, and companies being held accountable for negligent employees’ actions.

Case study after case study shows that no matter how good a driver may be, texting is a distraction that could likely cause an accident. The results can range from having a commercial driver license revoked to paying out workers’ compensation to a driver or innocent bystanders losing their lives.

Appreciate the legal implications for your business

Employers must realize the full extent of their exposure to liability. Here are some cases and rulings that should demonstrate exactly why:

• In 2007, a jury found the driver and the technology corporation that owned the company car liable when the driver, who was on their cell phone, crashed into another motor vehicle on the freeway, resulting in one fatality.

• IN 2009, an off-duty police officer was texting moments before a fatal crash and because he was driving a police cruiser, his employer was held liable for $4 million.

• In 2008, in a case involving the driver of a tractor-trailer who was checking his phone for text messages when he crashed into 10 vehicles that had stopped in traffic, a federal judge held his employer liable for $18 million (a district court awarded $6 million in the same case).

So whether it is a federal employee or a private company employee, all businesses need to understand what can happen if they are sued: They can expect an employer to be held liable for a crash involving a commercial driver license holder who was either text messaging or talking on a cell phone with dispatch about a work-related issue at the time of an incident – especially if the company had procedures or a workplace culture that made drivers feel compelled to use cell phones while driving.

Moreover, businesses need to remember that they can and have been held liable for actions that are actually allowed by federal regulation and individual state laws. An employer may be held legally accountable for negligent employee actions if the employee was acting within the scope of his or her employment at the time of a crash.

Consider all the solutions at your disposal

1.)  Just obey the law

The simplest solution of all? Just make sure everyone in your company knows and obeys the laws on distracted driving.

On December 2, 2011, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a rule banning the use of hand-held mobile phones by drivers of commercial motor vehicles. The ban took effect on January 3, 2012. Violations of this rule have consequences for both drivers and motor carriers (in addition to the legal/health and safety implications explained above, companies must stress that commercial motor vehicle drivers who violate the rule may be fined up to $2,750 for a first conviction).

As well as federal agency laws, fleet managers should be aware of all state and municipal laws that their drivers must comply with, particularly as commercial motor vehicles often cross interstate boundaries.

2.) Implement a cell phone policy and enforce it

Today’s employers are expected to design and implement a cell phone policy to follow best occupational safety practices, reduce significant risks and minimize liability. An organization’s cell phone policy should apply to:

• Handheld and hands-free electronic devices

• All employees

• All company vehicles

• All company cell phones

• All work-related communications – even in a personal motor vehicle or on a personal cell phone

A key part of the policy is educating employees about the federal and state laws regarding texting while driving, monitoring compliance with a reward system, enforcing the policy and establishing a procedure to adequately address violations. If an employer can show they implemented these procedures as part of a clear and effective distracted driving policy, they will be in a more defensible position in a courtroom than if they had not followed these practices.

3.) The technology solution – TRUCE

TRUCE is an innovative software solution that eliminates distracted driving by giving administrators complete control over employee handheld and hands-free device usage behind the wheel. Its an easy-to-use, global cloud-based management system that denies access to texts, email, handheld calls, games and any other inappropriate app usage while allowing mission-critical apps through the system.

In doing so, it plays a vital role in preventing, reducing and handling employee texting and driving crashes, as well as protecting businesses against serious lawsuits in the future.

The post How To Prevent Employee Texting & Driving Crashes: Stamp Out A Major Cause Of Workplace Accidents appeared first on TRUCE.

For companies operating a commercial fleet, the distraction scourge is more acute. In addition to the obvious health and safety concerns, failure to adhere to safe driving procedures has serious commercial, legal and operational implications for a business.

To understand the question of what is distracted driving in a commercial setting, fleet managers need to look no further than the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s refined definition of distracted driving. The FMCSA’s?definition of the illegal use of a phone behind the wheel can be distilled into five activities: reaching, holding, dialing, texting, reading.

Clearly, employers need to implement a total ban policy on the use of mobile devices in the workplace. But the temptation to call, read emails, use social media or start texting while driving is so ingrained in people that one wonders is this enough. A policy is worthless if it is not enforced and enforcing it through total distracted driving software solutions is the best way to achieve this. Not only does this have obvious positive health and safety repercussions, but it also makes commercial and operational sense.

Here are the five main benefits of implementing distracted driving software solutions in your company:

1. SAVE LIVES

The federal government reports that more than 3,000 people are killed on U.S. roads every year in distracted driving crashes. Companies with commercial motor vehicles on the road need to take further note: Motor vehicle crashes are the No. 1 cause of work-related deaths and account for 24% of all fatal occupational injuries. Driver distraction, in particular the use of cell phones, including hands-free devices (contrary to popular view, these offer no safety benefit, because hands-free devices do not eliminate the cognitive distraction of conversation) is a significant factor in these fatal crashes. Whether it’s the bus driver talking on a hands-free cell phone, causing a crash that injured 11 students (2004); or the truck driver who, distracted by the use of his cellphone, crashed into a van killing 14 people (2010), there are an increasing number of serious and fatal crashes caused by common cognitive distraction activities such as calling or texting while driving.

What does this mean for employers? Employees who use their cell phones while driving expose themselves to considerable safety risk, and this applies not just to commercial drivers, but also to other employees whose work involves driving, such as salespeople or service technicians.

Thankfully, distracted driving software exists to ensure safe driving by giving company administrators complete control over employee mobile device usage while allowing mission-critical app usage through the system. Driver behavior can be monitored and driving performance scored and rewarded, providing fleet managers with insights to enforce their company’s policy against distracted driving—thus saving the lives of both employees and other road users in the process.

2. SAVE MONEY

Safe driving saves money on two fronts: By reducing liability and by protecting a company’s reputation.

• Reducing Liability:

Employers need to fully grasp what they may face in today’s courtrooms. Court awards and settlements are on the rise and governments are leveling ever-harsher penalties for negligent driving behaviors such as calling on a cell phone or texting while driving. On-the-job distracted driving crashes are costly to employers, incurring costs of more than $24,500 per property damage crash and $150,000 per injury crash. No other single event could do more damage to the growth of your business, than an action or settlement due to a distracted driving claim.

The enormous expense and liability in relation to distracted driving can be addressed effectively by distracted driving solutions that eradicate mobile distraction while providing unrivaled control, recording and feedback to improve driving performance.

• Maintaining a Good Reputation:

A distracted driving policy enforced by innovative technology solutions like TRUCE won’t just save money by avoiding payouts from distracted driving crashes or lawsuits, it will also make a massive contribution to creating a culture of safety and safe driving on the road, thus preserving a company’s good reputation. These days customers react to negative reviews (a business risks losing 22% of annual sales when a customer finds negative review on the first page of search results); therefore, safeguarding a company’s commercial reputation—one of the most valuable things it holds—can be the making or breaking of a business.

3. IMPROVE EFFICIENCY

It’s simple: Companies need to keep their drivers on the road. They achieve that by avoiding motor crashes and legal infractions that would put a fleet vehicle out of use and prevent job-critical tasks getting done. Safe driving means improved efficiency.

Customers of TRUCE’s distracted driving software report that annual crashes can be reduced by as much as half within the first year. By configuring a technology platform to be in control of individual drivers, aided by a system of alerts and notifications, administrators provide key support to drivers as they strive to adhere to their company’s safe driving policies.

Distracted driving software creates a distraction-free driving environment that allows the driver to do what they do best, controlling a commercial motor vehicle from behind the wheel without the temptation to start texting or checking emails. A thorough set of performance measurement and scoring tools further incentivize them to drive safely and efficiently as they carry out their day’s work.

4. DISTRACTED DRIVING SOFTWARE IS USER-FRIENDLY

Changing driving behavior is a difficult task. Implementing a comprehensive distracted driving policy is a challenge for any health and safety manager, particularly if it is expected to stand on its own. The task of enforcing a safe driving policy can be made easier through the use of innovative distracted driving software solutions that, through the combination of easily-installed devices with mobile apps and management systems, prevent dangerous driving behaviors by controlling how employees use their phones.

TRUCE is an industry-leading provider of such distracted driving software. It’s technology is straightforward to operate thanks to several key features:  

• TRUCE has been optimized for deployment across businesses of any size.

• The system is configurable at a driver level, enabling different employees to have different protection settings on the same account.

• TRUCE works across all vehicle types, mobile carriers and mobile device platforms.

• The system supports Apple iPhone and iOS devices (4S and newer), as well as Android devices (4.3 and newer), delivering the same quality user experience regardless of the environment.

• The system can be easily deployed through the App Store or through a company’s existing Mobile Device Management System.

5. STAY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LAW

There is an ever growing number of laws and regulations concerning distracted driving with which companies must comply. For instance, federal agencies (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, to name a few) have passed a joint law that prohibits commercial drivers from using mobile devices while operating commercial vehicles. Companies need to be aware of, and to be compliant with, these increasing number of laws concerning safe driving. There is no more effective way to improve compliance and avoid civil penalties than, firstly, to implement policies that exceed existing regulations, and, secondly, to back up these policies with cutting-edge software solutions designed to eliminate distracted driving.

Everyone expects the number and severity of local and national laws and penalties associated with driving distraction to rise, which means businesses would be well advised to introduce proactive solutions to stay ahead of these regulations.

CONCLUSION

Companies need to take action to create strong safety cultures by eliminating bad habits that lead to fatal crashes, serious injury and vehicle damage. Implementing a distracted driving policy is a great move, but businesses can go further. Easy-to use, tamper-proof devices and distracted driving software can become a key tool in protecting employees and the communities in which they operate, while also preventing loss of revenue, maintaining operational efficiency and staying legally compliant. Safety, then, is pretty good business.

Want To Learn More About Implementing a Distracted Driving Solution? Get a Free Demo On TRUCE

The post Save Lives, Save Money: The Case for Using Distracted Driving Software Solutions appeared first on TRUCE.

Understanding these hazards is the first sure-fire way to developing effective measures to eradicate commercial distracted driving and all its associated risks. Only when a health and safety manager fully grasps the most pressing causes of distracted driving can they begin to truly solve it.

Below are the top 5 distractions that health and safety managers should be concerned about in the commercial environment:

1.) Avoid the Clear Hazards of Using a Hand-Held Phone

“Do Not Text While Driving”

FMCSA regulations prohibit texting and hand-held mobile phone usage while operating a commercial vehicle, with a special focus on text messaging while driving. An employee will lose their commercial driver’s licence on the spot if caught texting when driving. The whys are obvious: Research shows that commercial motor vehicle drivers who text are 23 times more likely to be involved in a safety-critical event than those who do not. It is a company’s responsibility and legal obligation to have a coherent, unequivocal and enforced policy against texting when driving. In the context of commercial driving, the hands-free device is no longer a tool but one of the most hazardous materials to be found inside or outside the commercial vehicle for its role in directly causing distraction and accidents.

But old habits die hard, which is why new tools allowing administrators control of employee mobile devices couldn’t come sooner. Fleet managers and company health and safety administrators can protect their drivers’ licences by eliminating access to texts, hand-held calls and unsafe apps while allowing job-critical apps though their safety system.

2.) Dispatch Devices are Essential but Dangerous

“Do Not Use A Dispatch Device While Driving”

Drivers of commercial vehicles depend on other hands-free devices such as portable dispatch devices to communicate, keep logs or assist with navigation. Vital to a driver’s mission, the concentration-demanding dispatch device is also potentially one of the most hazardous materials at their disposal. Most commercial drivers face tight deadlines. The temptation, then, might be to read a message that pops up on the screen of a dispatch device or to crank up the engine before they’ve completed inputting data into the device, thus requiring them to complete the task while simultaneously operating their commercial vehicle. If they do this routinely, it becomes automatic, a habit that is hard to break, and one that significantly increases the risk of crashes. According to a 2009 study, drivers who use a dispatching device while driving are nine times more likely to be involved in an accident or other kinds of safety-critical incidents.

Yet, there are solutions to taking the risk out of using dispatch devices (the so-called “texting of truckers”). A company’s fleet management system can disable the use of dispatch devices while driving, connecting drivers and administrators in a safer and more efficient manner. Better dispatching devices are being built so that they are easier to use, allowing drivers to respond to messages without looking at the screen. Overall, the comprehensive management of a dispatch system can successfully combat distraction, leading to a safer fleet, less crashes on the road and, naturally, a happy health and safety manager.

Ready to take a proactive approach to health and safety? Find out more!

3.) The Real Risks of Exhaustion

“Beware of Drowsiness”

FMCSA regulations related to the driving of commercial vehicles insists that no driver shall operate a commercial motor vehicle, and a motor carrier shall not require or permit a driver to operate a commercial vehicle, while the driver’s ability or alertness is impaired through fatigue.

Exhaustion, then, is a critical cause of driver distraction and health and safety managers are obliged to ensure their drivers are healthy and well-rested. How do they achieve this?

• Insisting drivers keep to hours-of-services regulations
• Instructing drivers to respect the indicators of fatigue (yawning, blurred vision, heavy eyes)
• Encouraging adequate sleep, healthy diet, napping and the non-usage of drowsy-inducing medication
• Providing electronic devices and solutions to monitor driver performance and offering a systematic collaborative approach to combating fatigue

4.) Avoid the Temptation to Eat and Drink While Driving

“Avoid Eating and Drinking When Driving”

All drivers who have completed their training to get their commercial drivers’ licence know that fueling behind the wheel is risky, but with looming deadlines and long days of driving, commercial drivers might sometimes feel like driving is the only time they have to eat or drink.

Studies have found that eating while driving is an even riskier distraction than talking on a cell phone. Makes perfect sense: Eating while driving can take one’s eyes off the road and always takes at least one off hand off the steering wheel.

The job of fleet managers and health and safety administrators within a company is to ensure their drivers are compliant with state and federal health and safety regulations, by requiring and incentivizing their drivers to always leave time to pull over and eat.

Health and Safety Managers can go a step further by implementing safety administration systems to monitor, score and rank driving performance. The use of dashboard technology can play a key role in ensuring drivers avoid the hazardous behavior of eating and drinking behind the wheel.

5.) External Distractions are Real

“Don’t Allow External Objects Distract You from Driving”

Drivers risk getting distracted by external objects outside their commercial vehicle such as billboards, buildings or people. Experienced holders of a commercial driver’s licence know only too well how these objects can draw a driver’s eyes, hands and mind away from driving safely. Staying focused on the road ahead and paying attention only to tasks related to operating a commercial vehicle will keep drivers alert to the single vehicles around them, and make them ready to react to anything unexpected. It will also keep them and their company free from penalties, citations, and the prospect of losing to their commercial driver’s licence.

Companies can ensure their drivers remain focused on driving by enforcing company policy against distracted driving and developing reports and portfolios on their drivers, while analyzing data on driving behavior and device usage.

The Final Word on Commercial Distracted Driving

Health and Safety managers need to be aware of these five hazardous distractions in a commercial driving environment. Reducing distractions that are detrimental to commercial truck driving is a critical component of improving the safety performance of commercial vehicle drivers, and makes the roads and highways safer for all drivers. By enforcing safety systems to effectively overcome these hazards, health and safety managers will make a critical contribution to the reduction of accident rates and the lowering of their company’s insurance costs.

Find out how preventing distracted driving can increase operational efficiency with TRUCE.

Check out these resources below to see how TRUCE can help your business today:

Download our White Paper on the Cost of Distraction

Download our White Paper on CONTEXTUAL MOBILE DEVICE MANAGEMENT – The next wave of workforce Performance

The post Top 5 Distractions to Concern H&S Managers in Commercial Driving appeared first on TRUCE.

When considering the preparation and implementation of a commercial distracted driving policy, a health and safety professional is recommended to bear in mind the following key guidelines:

1.) Explain clearly why the distracted driving policy is being implemented

When considering a distracted driving and cell phone policy, a health and safety professional must explain to all employees that a best-practice distracted driving policy is being implemented to comply with federal agency regulations and federal, state and municipal laws. Using National Safety Council (NSC) research on unsafe driving behaviors and the hazards linking distracted driving and commercial drivers, a health and safety professional must inform and educate employees about the risks of using cell phones behind the wheel, while simultaneously dispelling common myths and misunderstandings (more than 30 studies have shown that hands-free devices do not make driving any safer than hand-held devices as the brain remains distracted).

A health and safety professional must make it clear to all employees that a best-practice distracted driving policy is essential to avoid exposing employees to unnecessary accident risks by prohibiting or restricting them from undertaking activities that distract their focus from operating any motor vehicle in the course of their work. Moreover, a distracted driving policy is necessary to avoid putting the company at financial risk (jury awards and settlements in recent years have included amounts of $21.6 million, $18 million, $16.1 million, $5.2 million and $2 million). Financial impact on a business shows just how much commercial distracted driving affects your whole organization. 

How Much Could Commercial Distracted Driving Be Costing Your Company?

2.) The Policy Must Be Seen To Cover Everyone 

It is very important that a commercial distracted driving policy is comprehensive and applicable to all employees with no exception, and that anyone who holds a licence (driver’s licence or commercial driver’s licence) is subject to the same warnings and penalties if they fail to comply to the policy.

To gain acceptance and support from truck drivers, there must be clear, unambiguous compliance from in-house management and operations. A case in point: While global roofing and insulation company Owens Corning was preparing to implement a cell phone distracted driving policy, its CEO went for 90 days adhering to what would become the policy for all employees. That he managed to achieve this without the practice affecting his productivity became a crucial factor in the messaging to employees during the implementation.

Health and Safety Professionals must ensure that a distracted driving and cell phone policy applies to all commercial drivers, all commercial vehicles from the organization’s commercial fleet, and all company motor vehicles and work-related communications—basically, any situation where an employee is conducting company business. Once a policy is seen to cover all employees and commercial motor vehicles, it will be much easier to ensure buy-in from everyone and to build support for the policy and ease implementation.

3.) The Policy Must Include A Best Practices Model:

Implementing an effective policy to reduce distracted driving in a commercial motor vehicle or motor carrier involves more than publishing the policy in a handbook. It requires changing behaviors and people’s opinions about their behavior. Therefore, it is important to be clear about what precisely are the best practices for safe driving without affecting productivity.

An organization-wide policy prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving is recommended by The NSC. The following are examples of what the policy should state:

• Employees are not permitted to use electronic devices, either hand-held or hands-free, while they are driving

• Employees are not permitted to answer calls while driving. Incoming calls must be directed to voicemail

• Texting, either the reading or responding to text messages, is prohibited while driving

• If it is necessary for an employee to make an emergency call, the employee must park the vehicle in a safe location before making the call

Implementing procedural changes is vital to eliminating distracted driving risks and by clearly outlining what the best practices are for a safe driving environment, a company takes a major step towards ensuring these practices become routine for employees.

4.) Consider Implementation In A Policy

Preparing for a distracted driving policy must include consideration of how that policy is going to be implemented and how support among employees for the policy is going to grow. The NSC recommends creating an Implementation Team, which would involve the following groups:

• Senior leadership, human resources, truck and bus drivers, safety and fleet leaders from throughout the company to develop and approve the policy

• An organization-wide team of safety representatives to educate commercial drivers and other employees about the policy

In the case where companies are turning to technological solutions to track device usage by truck or bus drivers, this can also be integrated into an organization’s distracted driver policy. Moreover, educational materials such as posters, infographs, fact sheets and video can be used to support the successful implementation of a distracted driving policy. This will help to keep things in peoples’ minds post-implementation. 

Tips to build employee support throughout the implementation process include:

• Holding pre-implementation meetings to discuss the need for a policy with employees

• Encouraging commercial drivers to offer their own ideas and solutions

• Emphasizing the priority of safety, while asking employees to share ideas about maintaining productivity

• Appointing employees from all sectors of the company as spokespeople for the new policy process

• Communicating positive results to drivers after implementation.

5.) Be Clear About Enforcement and Penalties

All employees must be required to read and sign the policy, but only after understanding its disciplinary consequences. It is vital that they understand the terms of the policy, that they agree to abide by these terms, and that they fully understand the disciplinary implications of failing to comply with the policy. What happens to a driver if they are caught texting while driving? The answer must be unequivocal.

By having them sign their understanding of the policy, the truck driver will be protected and will feel safer on the road, which will help increase their work satisfaction.

Some companies may put a warning process in place, in which the consequences of violating the policy on the third occasion must be clarified. Only when employees understand those consequences, should they be asked to provide their signature certifying they agree with the policy.

Conclusion

Health and Safety Managers are thus advised to take the above guidelines into consideration when putting together, implementing and enforcing a distracted driving and cell phone policy for their organization. An enforced policy not only protects the safety of employees and the communities in which they operate, but also safeguards the companies against costly liability. For a policy to be effective, health and safety managers must ensure the policy clarifies the reasons behind its implementation, covers all employees in the company with no exception, outlines best practices, considers implementation with a view to building support and explains the disciplinary consequences of non-compliance.

The combination of a comprehensive distracted driving policy, combined with new technologies that improve truck driver safety will keep everyone out of harm’s way and avoid financial risk with no impact on productivity.

Check out these resources below to see how TRUCE can help your business eliminate distracted driving and reduce liability and costs to your company:

Download our Executive Summary to learn more about TRUCE today!

Check out our Product Spec Sheet to learn more about the TRUCE Platform

Get all the facts and statistics with our Distracted Driving White Paper For Fleets

The post Top 5 “Must Haves” in a Commercial Distracted Driving Policy appeared first on TRUCE.

Recently I had lunch with friend who spent more than 20 years as a health and safety executive for a Fortune 100 company. As part of his former role, he oversaw the fleet drivers for the company, ensuring their compliance with things like driver certifications and training and, more importantly, their adherence to safe driving policies.

As we talked, he shared stories about the tremendous effort it took to change the corporate culture as it related to safety, to change it into a culture that made safety a priority and took it seriously.

And that makes sense. We’ve all breezed past the warnings that come with instructions for anything that requires assembly. We’ve all crossed in the middle of the street when we knew we could make it. And I would venture to guess that most of us have checked email or sent a quick text when we were driving — despite recommendations, policies and even laws that tell us we shouldn’t.

But, why is that? Why aren’t policies enough to change culture and put safety front and center?

According to Tony Schwartz, president and CEO of The Energy Project and the author of The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working, we can attribute it to “the invisible fears and insecurities that keep us locked into behaviors even when we know rationally that they don’t serve us well.” Add to that, he says, “the anxiety that nearly all human beings experience in the face of change,” and it’s a bit easier to see the hurdles that organizations face when trying to change culture.

Those are the same hurdles that my friend faced when he tried to create a culture more focused on safety. He had the logistics worked out — the policies were written, reviewed and approved, the managers had all been informed of the new guidelines, the drivers were made aware of what was expected, including what the punishments were for non-adherence to the policy. Yet their behaviors, and the culture, remained the same. There was a disconnect. There were policies and rules, yet they were largely disregarded. Again, why weren’t the policies enough?

“We changed the policies, but we didn’t change their hearts and minds,” my friend told me. And that’s why it didn’t work.

And Schwartz would agree. “What most organizations typically overlook is the internal shift — what people think and feel — which has to occur in order to bring the strategy to life. This is where resistance tends to arise — cognitively in the form of fixed beliefs, deeply held assumptions and blind spots; and emotionally, in the form of the fear and insecurity that change engenders. All of this rolls up into our mindset, which reflects how we see the world, what we believe and how that makes us feel.”

So, with the framework and policies in place, my friend set to work on changing hearts and minds. While the policy prohibited the use of a phone while driving, it wasn’t changing behavior and drivers were often sneaking in a call or a quick text. So my friend asked them each to bring in a photo of their family or a loved one and he asked them to put that photo inside the vehicle they were driving. He then pointed out that the policies were designed to keep them (and others on the road) safe and that those photos represented who they needed to say safe for. And suddenly there was a change in behavior. Calls went to voicemail and text messages were returned later. My friend had broken through the fixed belief that a quick text doesn’t pose much harm and the fear of change that this would be too intrusive with a reminder of the things and people that his employees held dear. He changed their thinking and their beliefs — and, ultimately, he did change that company’s culture.

Change is hard. Technology can help accelerate change. Using software to enforce the safe driving policies of a company is another approach that would delivered immediate positive impact for my friend’s company. Start with the company policy, influence drivers with the softer approach and use technology to stop distracted driving behavior altogether. That is the most comprehensive approach to creating a safe driving culture.

The post Create A Safe Driving Culture: Going Beyond Changing Hearts and Minds appeared first on TRUCE.

• Greater than 25 percent of all traffic incidents on roads involve someone who is driving for a company.

• In the year 2016 alone, more than 500 people were killed by somebody who was driving for work.

• Around 85 percent of these individuals were people other than the company driver.

• In addition, more than 5,000 people sustained serious injuries as a result of an accident involving someone driving for a business.

• Since the year 2006, greater than 60,000 people have been either killed or sustained serious injuries as a result of a work-related accident.

These statistics are startling and demonstrate that employees that are distracted drivers are a threat to themselves, other people in the car, and other drivers on the road. In case saving lives isn’t enough of a reason to want to stop distracted driving, business owners need to be careful as well. According to a recent news article published in Forbes, employers are responsible for making sure that their employees follow the law when behind the wheel; however, this isn’t enough to protect businesses from large lawsuits and damage awards following a crash with injuries or fatalities. This demonstrates that it is very important for businesses to take steps to reduce distracted driving. Are you protecting your fleet drivers from these distractions? Here is a list of reasons why you should invest in technology to stop preventable accidents happening because of distracted drivers.

Ten Reasons Businesses Should Use Technology to Stop Distracted Driving

There are many reasons to use technology enforcement. Some of these include:

1. Use Technology to Enforce Written policies: Most companies have written policies that they try to enforce when it comes to driving and mobile phone use. Unfortunately, many companies have issues controlling mobile phone usage among their drivers. Advanced technology can help maintain compliance with a company’s written policies.

2. Focus on other Business Issues: One of the biggest challenges that businesses face regarding texting and driving is the time consumption. Business leaders often spend hours trying to find ways to get their employees to comply with their regulations. If technology can force compliance, this frees up time to focus on other business issues. Furthermore, this gives business leaders peace of mind that their drivers and property are safe from distracted driving. Stop wasting time trying to police mobile phone use while driving.

3. A Reduction in Downtime: When accidents do occur, this soaks up valuable business resources. The entire business could grind to a halt because of all of the resources that are consumed dealing with the accident. This costs the business valuable time, which means damage to the bottom line as well. Use technology to reduce business downtime and keep the gears turning. This will improve the company’s bottom line.

4. Reputation Management Issues: It is no 

secret that distracted driving has occupied the media spotlight recently. If a company is publicized as being a culprit of distracted driving, leading to injuries and fatalities throughout the community, what does this do to the company’s reputation? How will this impact their business? Use a technology system to prevent distracted driving and protect the company’s reputation. It takes years to build a reputation but only a few minutes to completely ruin it. Don’t let this happen.

5. It’s The Law: While this may seem obvious, distracted driving is against the law. Texting and driving is illegal and dramatically increases the chances of an accident occurring. This can lead to injuries and fatalities which the company could be responsible for. The laws are changing quickly and technology can help companies force compliance and avoid the fines and penalties that accompany distracted driving.

6. Make the Business Stand Out: There are lots of businesses out there and it can be a challenge to stand out from the crowd. Having technology that helps to monitor mobile phone use while driving is a unique selling point. Rely on an advanced technology solution within the industry that can stop distracted driving and provide the business with a competitive advantage in an ever-changing world.

7. Be a Pioneer in the Industry: Technology is changing quickly and it is hard for businesses to keep up. Using technology to reduce texting and driving will lead to a reduction in fatalities due to driver error. This will protect the company and represents a novel innovation in the industry. Make sure the business stays ahead of the curve and on top of the technology in a competitive world.

8. Using a Technological Solution Provides Valuable Insight: In addition to forcing compliance with legal regulations, these advanced technological devices also provide the company with quantifiable, actionable data regarding their driver’s activities. Not only is this useful to stop texting and driving but can also provide the company with information related to driver routes, the productivity of the fleet, fleet safety, and can compare drivers against each other. Businesses can use this technology to track their drivers’ productivity and ensure that the fleet is operating in an efficient manner. Don’t leave such valuable data on the table.

9. The Social Responsibility of Corporations: In addition to keeping drivers safe, part of reputation management involves meeting the social responsibility that comes with a large business. Protect the employees and other people on the road. There are children, pedestrians, and cyclists that are at risk when it comes to distracted driving. Should anything happen to the drivers or any of these vulnerable populations, the business could be held responsible. Your company has a responsibility to keep people safe. Using a technological solution can help make this happen.

10. Lower Cost of Vehicle Insurance: Insurance is one of the largest financial obligations that a company has. Similar to having home insurance for a home, drivers’ insurance will be lower if companies have data showing that their fleet safety is improved. If they are less at risk of having an accident, insurance will be lower. Show the insurance companies that the business has taken steps to reduce their risks with this software. This keeps employees safe and can reduce overhead costs, which is a win-win for the business.

Contact the Professionals to Learn More About Technology Enforcement 

Clearly, it is vital for businesses to take steps to reduce distracted 

driving involving their business, their drivers, and their vehicles. Some business owners may be wondering how they can possibly control the actions of their drivers behind the wheel by reducing mobile phone use while driving. Fortunately, there are technology solutions available that can control the use of technology behind the wheel. Why not fight technology with technology enforcement?

Reach out today and learn about how TRUCE can help reduce distracted driving, stop texting and driving, increase fleet safety, and improve your bottom line.

Read More: Beyond the Fleet: Distracted Driving Affects Every Part of Your Organization

The post Ten Reasons to Stop Distracted Driving: A CEO Perspective appeared first on TRUCE.

1. Protect your employees’ health & safety

Putting a stop to distracted driving will keep your employees as safe as possible and creates a work environment that puts safety at the forefront.

2. It’s easy to be proactive

Today, there are excellent options when it comes to distracted driving technology that can help avoid many preventable incidents.

3. Protect your business

Because laws and regulations are becoming stricter and stricter, it is vital that you are compliant. Starting to eliminate ALL instances of distracted driving today could avoid lawsuits or other concerns in the future.

4. Prevent false accusations

Unfortunately, you can only defend what you can prove. That’s why it’s so important to not only stop distracted driving but to take steps to utilize technology that could protect you from false accusations.

5. Create a culture of safety

Distracted driving is just one of many unsafe practices that often go unchecked in the workplace. Start with this as step one in creating a culture of safety.

6. Let your drivers do what they do best

Drivers know the road and they know how to drive. When they are being distracted by mobile devices on the road, they can’t deliver on their promise to be a great driver–allow them to be their best.

7. Break bad habits

Sometimes distracted driving isn’t so much a conscious effort, but a bad habit. By putting efforts in place to stop distracted driving, you’re breaking bad habits that could extend beyond the workday too.

8. Create awareness of risks

Many drivers may not realize how common distracted driving is, how dangerous it can be or what actually constitutes distracted driving. By utilizing both education and enforcing technology, drivers can see for themselves that there are issues–making them more aware and more receptive to stopping the practice.

9. Changing behaviors can be fun

When you put in place technology that gamifies and rewards safe driving, there is an incentive for drivers to improve their skills. You’ll see that it becomes “fun” for drivers to change behaviors in a positive manner.

 10. It gets everyone home safe at night

At the end of the day, you want your employees to make it home safe to their families. Stopping distracted driving is one step you can take to help assure this happens.

While you can’t possibly control everything that happens on the road, you can provide guidance and education. Distracted driving is a serious problem and one that everyone has a part in helping to resolve. It’s up to you to help your drivers stop this dangerous practice and stay focused on what really matters.

Read More: Where Does Worker Safety Start and End?

The post Ten Reasons to Stop Distracted Driving: A Worker Health & Safety Perspective appeared first on TRUCE.