As a fleet manager, you most likely have heard or seen details of distracted driving incidents in the industry or experienced an incident in your fleet first hand. The chance of multi-million-dollar nuclear verdicts and soaring insurance premiums can stifle any organization.
Cellphone use while driving has expanded from 0.6 percent of all drivers in 2009 to 9.7 percent of all drivers in 2018, as per the IIHS. Numerous variables add to an improved probability of business drivers utilizing their cell phones while driving including:
• Extended time on the road
• Frustration with traffic
• Boredom
• Staying socially associated
• Internal and outside strain to be beneficial while driving
Technological advancements, particularly in our cell phones, have had an enormous impact in the expansion of occupied driving. As cell phone capacities advanced, so has their use while driving.
Text message is one of the main guilty parties of occupied driving. For most, messaging requires looking at a phone’s screen, composing and reading to affirm a message. It’s an interaction that significantly hampers the ability to operate a vehicle safely. In a new report, done by Arrive Alive, messaging while at the same time driving expands the danger of an accident by multiple times.
Furthermore, the normal time one peers down at their mobile phone while driving is five seconds. Driving at 55mph over a five-second span equates to the length of a football field where a driver’s eyes could be off of the road. Since cellphone increases the chance of a safety-critical event by 165 percent, it’s imperative to work towards eliminating distractions to your drivers.
Take a Proactive Approach to Fleet Safety
Fleets need to take proper security measures to ensure their drivers, resource, and the networks they operate. This beginnings by effectively attempting to control the hazardous propensity for mobile phone use while driving. Organizations that actualize safe driving strategies and preparing programs are making a stride the right direction.
Remember, self-policing and retroactive policy enforcement are not enough. Indeed, even with gadgets that record and report when drivers are occupied, the implementation of strategy is retroactive. The best way to effectively eliminate the risk of distraction in the first place is a proactive solution.
Utilizing innovation can also play a critical role in the advancement of interruption free driving. Solutions like distracted diverted driver management platforms, telematics gadgets and in-dash cameras are powerful tools for fleet managers. Blending those with fleet management software brings together your basic fleet data to make analysis simpler than any time in recent memory.
See how Blackbox GPS Technology foundation can help you better deal with your drivers, vehicles and hardware. Start your free preliminary or request a demo today!