Admit it, at one time or
another you have been a distracted driver. Don’t agree? Ask yourself:
§
Have you ever
answered a cell phone call from one of your store managers while pulling
your vehicle onto the highway?
§
Ever changed
the radio station and adjusted the volume as you drove through town?
§
Ever taken a
sip of morning coffee and had a bite of breakfast on your drive to work?
Most of us can recall times
when we have been similarly distracted behind the wheel. In fact,
according to one survey of drivers, 94 percent of respondents indicated
that they regularly do something that distracts them while driving.[i]
Not surprising, considering
it now seems socially acceptable—even desirable—for drivers to perform
multiple tasks while driving. Today, people think nothing of conducting
business, eating a snack, entertaining passengers, and doing a variety
of other activities while operating a vehicle. In truth, most drivers
are unaware of how often they are distracted from the most important
task at hand—driving the vehicle safely.
Distracted driving is the
major cause of most traffic accidents. According to a study sponsored by
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distractions
are a factor in nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of
near-crashes. The study showed that crashes and near-crashes involved
driver inattention within three seconds before the incident. The 241
drivers in the study were involved in 82 crashes, 761 near-crashes and
8,295 critical incidents.[ii]
Business owners bear a
particularly heavy burden when employees are involved in traffic
accidents. Injuries related to motor vehicle crashes on and off the job
cost employers nearly $60 billion annually.
According to the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s latest reports, motor vehicle
crashes annually killed more than 2,100 people while they were working
and injured 353,000 others. Over half of these injuries forced people to
miss work.
[iii]
While distractions have been
a safety concern for drivers since the first automobiles hit the road,
drivers today are faced with an ever-increasing range of distractions.
From cell phones to navigation systems to DVD entertainment centers, the
opportunity for driver distraction continues to grow.
In one 2001 study of driver
behavior,[i]
drivers cited the activities that most often caused them to become
distracted including:
§
Distractions from outside the vehicle
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§
Adjusting a radio or CD player
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§ Talking
with occupants in the vehicle
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§
Adjusting vehicle or climate controls
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It only takes a few seconds
of distraction for drivers to jeopardize their safety and that of
others. Consider that at 65 miles per hour, a vehicle travels 190 feet
in two seconds, or about two-thirds the length of a football field. In
seconds, a distracted driver could drift off the road or into other
lanes of traffic. The driver also loses valuable reaction time that
could be needed to avoid hazards.
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Safety Tips
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Pre-program favorite radio stations
-
Pre-load CDs or tapes
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Clear the vehicle of unnecessary objects
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Check to see that all cargo is properly
secured
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As a business owner, you
are in a unique position to influence not only the habits and
behaviors of drivers of company vehicles but other employees as well.
Consider holding a company safety meeting to educate employees on the
ways they can become distracted when operating a vehicle, both on and
off the job. Regularly encourage employees to remain focused when
behind the wheel and offer tips to help them manage distractions
safely.
Federated Insurance offers
a program on distracted driving that emphasizes the many ways
employers and their drivers can avoid the pitfalls of distracted
driving. A video and brochure are included in the program.
Reminding employees of the
risks of distracted driving has another benefit as well. Business
owners may think twice before reaching for the cell phone themselves
and possibly causing distractions for employees while they are
driving.
[i]
Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (2001)
[ii]
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Virginia Tech
Transportation Institute, 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study, April
2006
[iii]
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Report, “What Do
Traffic Crashes Cost? Total Cost to Employers by State and Industry,”
1998-2000
[iv]
University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center (2001)
