Heroes in the "Drive Against Distraction" encourage employers to prohibit distracted driving

Six weeks ago, we closed our Distracted Driving Summit with the news that President Obama had issued an Executive Order prohibiting federal agency employees from using work-issued devices to text or e-mail while driving. I challenged other employers to follow his lead.

Today, I want to recognize the heroes who are not just driving safely, but who have chosen to "Drive Against Distraction." These are individuals and groups working hard to encourage others to drive safely. How? By getting employers to give the gift of safety to their employees this holiday season--in the form of a written policy that prohibits using a phone or messaging device while driving.

Working Mother magazine is one of these new heroes. President Carol Evans recently added a new question to the employer survey Working Mother uses to compile its influential annual list of Working Mother's 100 Best Companies. The new question reads:

Do you have a written policy discouraging employees from texting while driving?
( ) Yes
( ) No

It's simple--want to join the likes of their heavy-hitting Hall of Fame? Don't even try to compete without an explicit employee distracted driving policy.

Add to that hero list David Teater and the National Safety Council. This team has put together a really useful one-stop resource for employers who want to get on the right side of this problem, protect their employees, and reduce their own liability. As they put it,

"Allowing employees to conduct either hands-free or handheld business on cell phones while driving represents acceptance of a four times increase in crash risk. We want to help employers reduce this risk."

So, for those employers who don't want to reinvent the wheel, please visit NSC's Employer Policy page where you can find a great, downloadable "Cell Phone and Texting Policy Kit."

And one other group encouraging employers to do their part is Stop Texting and Driving Now! This growing organization offers The Employer Awareness Membership program (TEAM). Employers who develop written policies discouraging distracted driving can inform STAD Now! and get themselves listed on the forthcoming TEAM Honor Roll. Just this weekend, STAD Now! added four new employers to TEAM.

As founder Clay Johnson told us,

"TEAM is for companies who have great interest in stopping texting and driving, especially those with traveling sales, marketing, or delivery drivers. We want to empower employers who take responsibility for their employees while out on the road by encouraging them to drive without distractions."

Employers of America, I challenge you to join our "Drive Against Distraction by adopting a policy against distracted driving. Then, post a comment about it here on the blog. Later this week and throughout the holiday driving season, I look forward to blogging about some of the individual employers we've heard from who have been out in front of this issue.

By then I hope we're swamped by other employers who have decided to shoulder this important responsibility.

In the meantime, please stay safe, everyone.

Comments

[Michael E. Bailey]

I think its terrific that private organizations are now recognizing the dangers associated with using the phone and trying to drive at the same time. Driving and phoning just don't mix. Companies need to have a policy that says no using cell phones while the car or truck is moving. If someone wants to talk they should pull over and stop in a safe spot first. This is great news. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Andre Boykin]

Having a company policy to discourage distractions while driving is a good start. However, just having the company policy will not lead to a change in behavior. If you were to ask most people about the policies in their organization, they would have a hard time telling you what they are because in a lot of cases the "policy" is situational. In other words we obey that policy when it is convenient to do so and when it's not we treat the policy as a general guideline.

For an employer lead program to really be effective, the leaders of organizations have to embrace the policy and continually stress the importance of the policy.

The only time something is keep alive in an organization is because there are conversations about it. No conversation, and the policy ceases to exist. We all know examples of how powerful a conversation kept alive in an organization can be; just look at what happens in the rumor mill. The rumor mill is just a conversation keep alive.

So, an employer policy on distraction and driving only succeeds when the leaders are setting the example and a conversation is ongoing to reinforce the policy

[Brian Turmail]

The Associated General Contractors of America shares the Department's passion for safe driving and has embraced its pledge to avoid distracted driving. We're also sharing the pledge information with our 95 nationwide chapters and asking each of our 33,000 member companies to adopt similar safe driving policies.

[AAA]

AAA appreciates Secretary LaHood’s employer challenge to “Drive Against Distraction.” As an organization committed to traffic safety for more than 100 years, AAA has long had corporate safe driving policies that we’ve required employees to practice at all times.

Prior to the recent DOT summit, AAA launched a nation-wide campaign to increase awareness of the dangers of texting while driving and advocate for texting while driving bans in all 50 states. As part of that initiative, AAA’s President & CEO Robert Darbelnet reminded all AAA National Office employees of our corporate “Safe Driving” and “Use of Wireless Devices” policies which prohibit employees from using any company issued mobile devices while driving. The policies also prohibit the use of personal wireless devices while on company business and/or operating a company-owned vehicle. These policies are regularly updated to reflect changes in research and technology.

Mr. Darbelnet also urged all AAA associates to sign the inaugural “Heads Up Driving Week” pledge and commit to driving distraction free the week of October 5-11. Promoted in conjunction with the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, “Heads Up Driving Week” will be an annual effort to encourage the public to – “Try it for a week, do it for life.” Information on “Heads Up Driving Week” can be found at: http://www.aaafoundation.org/multimedia/headsup.cfm

Again, many thanks to Secretary LaHood for focusing on what the business community can do to help curb the dangerous practice of distracted driving. AAA believes that our organization and its associates share responsibility for improving safety on our roadways.

[John Rob]

Each day we read news about road accidents caused by texting while driving. Distraction behind wheel is dangerous. I do not touch my phone but stay connected while drivesafe.ly mobile application reads messages for me.

[Randy Mullett]

At Con-way, we believe that industry has a clear role to play in alleviating distracted driving, and have related policies in place at both Con-way Freight and Con-way Truckload. We join American Trucking Associations (ATA) in support of Congress addressing our nation’s handheld mobile telephone texting problem, and I recently testified there on behalf of ATA regarding distracted driving. For anyone interested in reading the full testimony, it is available at http://www.truckline.com/Newsroom/Testimony1/Randy%20Mullett%20--%20Distracted%20Driving%20testimony.pdf

[Ground Transportation]

This is a huge problem for passenger ground transportation companies. We frequently receive complaints from passengers who have experienced problems with their limousine or shuttle driver texting or using a cell phone while driving. Ground transportation companies need to have a zero tolerance policy and figure out creative ways to enforce it.

[Robert Rovinsky]

Here's a nice slogan from an FAA manager that is worth passing along:

Don’t drive while “inTEXTicated”
- David Burchett,

Manager of Federal Aviation Administration's National Wireless Program

[John Rob]

Life is more precious than reading a text message. Mobile application from http://www.drivesafe.ly/ helps you to concentrate on the road while making sure you are connected.

[Hawaiian Shirts]

If safetybelt laws can be enforced, so can distraction laws. There was kicking and screaming then as now, but after some adjustment, we all fell in line. How hard can this be?

[Annuaire Pages Blanches]

I think its terrific that private organizations are now recognizing the dangers associated with using the phone and trying to drive at the same time. Driving and phoning just don't mix. Companies need to have a policy that says no using cell phones while the car or truck is moving. If someone wants to talk they should pull over and stop in a safe spot first. This is great news. Best wishes,

[Driving School Sheffield]

This will need a lot of investment, you are trying to educate a huge audience that a driving, It's important that everyone participates and done a little to help. Lessons do need to be learned about focusing on new younger drivers as they will be the ones more likely to be distracted.