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Eyes on the Road: Distracted Driving is a Major Concern for Trucking Companies
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A text, an Instagram notification, a missed call… when you see a notification pop up on your phone, it’s tempting to pop it open immediately. But right now isn’t always the best time. Even a quick check of your phone while driving can have disastrous consequences.
It’s challenging to fight the temptation, but it’s worth it. Cell phones have caused more distracted driving accidents year after year. It has especially become a problem for trucking companies.
Just ask Brian Elkins, the safety supervisor for Best Logistics Group. His company recently installed a system to detect driver distractions in its trucks. He quickly made a troubling discovery.
“Driver distraction is one of our biggest problems,” he says.
Distracted driving isn’t just limited to phones. Truck drivers can be distracted by drinking, eating, smoking, reaching for radio controls, and even using hands-free devices.
The Risk of Distracted Driving
The most obvious risk of distracted driving is crashing. Accidents can cause fatalities, vehicle damage, costly lawsuits, and insurance rate hikes.
Even from a prevalence perspective, distracted driving can be harmful. Insurance companies are raising premiums and insurance plan requirements to encourage safe driving. It makes it all the more critical for your drivers and business to implement solutions.
Tools to Eliminate Distracted Driving
As Jeff Martin, VP of Global Sales Strategy from Lytx says, “Distracted driving behavior improvement is a continued opportunity.”
There are plenty of new initiatives to tackle distracted driving. Solera Fleet Solutions is utilizing one of them. It uses forward-facing and driver-facing cameras to reveal what’s happening in a cab.
“We now have the ability to notice the driver doesn’t have a seat belt on, or the driver’s eyes are looking drowsy. And we can give some sort of audible warning to the driver and let them know that they’re doing something dangerous,” says Michal Yariv, VP and GM of Strategic Initiatives at Solera.
One thing he’s noticed: even hands-free phone usage is a risk.
“As human beings, we’re very distractable. We typically think hands-free is OK, [but] it’s not. It’s really just as dangerous,” he says.
Netradyne provides another solution. Its in-cab product can alert drivers when their behaviors become unsafe.
What Your Company Needs to Know
Distracted driving isn’t just dangerous. It’s expensive. Here are three takeaways for your trucking company.
- It is a significant problem contributing to costly accidents and insurance rate hikes.
- Human beings are highly distractable and have access to a world of information and entertainment through their phones.
- Your company can use new technology to help improve driver behavior and safety outcomes.
It’s important to remember that even while driving safely, accidents can happen. Your company needs to work to prevent accidents but also be prepared with a legal response.
Hughes Lawyers specializes in traffic and trucking law. We’re ready to get right to work on your case with our crisis management services. Contact us to discuss your case or preventive measures.
