Give employees the gift of safety; join the Drive Against Distraction

Now is the season for sharing and giving...and for driving over the river and through the woods. But as millions of Americans hit the road this holiday season, I'm concerned.

Somewhere out there, an employee is driving on company business or in a company vehicle and his or her company cell phone or pda is ringing.

HEY. YOU. Let it ring. No call--none--can be worth the risk you invite by answering it. Later, tell your boss or your client you were driving and it would have been unsafe to answer.

 
Tell them President Obama signed an Executive Order prohibiting federal employees from using cell phones, pda's, and other messaging devices while on the road. Tell them Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said it should be part of company policy across the country.

It's the policy of driving professionals like Schneider National, a logistics and transportation services company. It's the policy of manufacturers like Potash Corporation, a producer of fertilizer and animal feed. It's the policy of think-tanks like Third Way. It's the policy of environmentalists like the National Wildlife Federation. And, as posted on this blog's comments, it's the policy of an entire trade group of construction companies, Associated General Contractors of America.

These employers get it. Does yours?

This holiday season, give the gift of safety: Get your company to join the Drive Against Distraction. Then, let us know by posting a comment here.

Best practices are contagious. Please, join the drive.

Comments

[Laura Holloway]

Effective Nov. 1, Missouri Department of Transportation employees are banned from texting while driving agency vehicles or driving personal vehicles on department business. Here's a link to the information sent out:
http://www.modot.org/newsandinfo/District0News.shtml?action=displaySSI&newsId=41446

[Michael E. Bailey]

Your advice is good to here and hopefully will be taken to heart by employees and their managements. But, it is certain that a few managements will not want to cooperate or say they don't need a policy. It is also certain some employees will be scared not to answer the cell phone if they know it is management calling. A written policy needs to be put in place at every company on this. If someone still does not want to get on the program, then they should leave their car home and take the bus or train. I did go to the International Road Assessment Program's site last night and signed up for their WrapUp news reports. We have some unsafe streets here in Orange County. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Marlene Mahoney]

When I think of distracted driving, I am inclned to think of a myriad of factors.
When I drive, I no longer do the following:
1) use cell phone
2) drink beverage (alcohol free of course) and eat
3) change radio statios or remove/insert cd's
Any means by which distracts the driver from total concentration while driving should be prohibited.
It's not just the cell phone---anymore
Thanks Ray, Happy Holidays to everyone at the US DOT.
Have a safe Holiday

[Mouhamad A. Naboulsi]

I applaud your effort and I I appreciate the role of legislation, education, policies and emotional campaigns. I however believe that a material intervention is necessary to prevent these types of distractions. My experience in industrial safety shows that people still act dangerously even after they know or see that a danger is real.

Just going through today’s news I found at least two articles about teens from different part of the country saying that Teens are disregarding warning, educations and scary PSA http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BA2ZJ20091211 and http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/16/AR2009111602174.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter.

Legislation, policies and education are important in bringing about awareness, but a material solution should be enforced by the government before any appreciative improvement can be seen.

For a review of our research please see http://actplace.net and for our pending production solutions, please visit http://iQ-telematics.com.

[Corporate gift baskets]

What scares me is when I see really young kids on cell phones. They are already inexperienced! I've just seen too many friends and family members in car wrecks. Be safe.

[W A]

I think being able to drink coffee or water while on the road is a good thing. People may pass out or fall asleep with out such measures being taken. When people are forced to wait in traffic they might fall asleep. Just like this website puts traffic maps in perspective of daily commute.
http://hubpages.com/hub/web_traffic

[jewelry reviews]

I however believe that a material intervention is necessary to prevent these types of distractions. My experience in industrial safety shows that people still act dangerously even after they know or see that a danger is real.

[Abu Garcia]

It's funny that people feel that their civil rights are being trampled upon when the question of safety should be the real issue.

[Charles C. Deangelo]

Some people just don't get it. The safety issue is just a no brainer if you ask me. I really wonder what goes on in peoples minds sometimes. Im all for intervention in the name of public safety. Now if we could only address the etiquette factor...

[Mel, Chromatic Tuner]

It’s true that unless there is a law banning cell phone usage, most drivers wouldn’t quit driving and talking on hand held cell phones, but apparently the laws don’t seem to be changing the statistics much. So what’s the solution?