The word ‘distraction’ begins to sound a lot like ‘destruction’ when you read these Distracted Driving statistics. Distracted driving killed over 3,000 people in 2017. Moreover, more than 1.5 million vehicle crashes each year involve the use of a cell phone while driving, as per the National Safety Council.

Anyone who has anything to do with commercial fleet management or fleet GPS tracking solutions is aware of  the crisis largely brought about by cell phones.

A serious challenge for commercial fleet managers – driver distraction.
We live in a time of constant connectivity.  As a result, people are constantly checking their phones for the latest emails, social posting, texts or other distractions.  This creates a major safety crisis (https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving) while driving on the road.

Fleet managers are seriously challenged by this growing problem and the threats it poses to their company. There are drivers who say they use a hands-free to speak while driving. The fact is that hands-free devices are no less distracting and actually no safer. More than 30 studies show that the brain is distracted by the conversation, even though the user of a hands-free device may believe it is safe.

The magnitude of the problem can be gauged from the number of drivers, who are trying to use their phone while driving at any point during a day – it’s over 650,000!

It is not only commercial fleets and fleet tracking GPS companies that are studying the problem. Lawmakers have been addressing it. It’s easy to see how life-threatening the problem is from the legislation that has been created to curb the use of cell phones while driving.

Stop your fleet drivers from texting!
Text messaging is completely banned by 47 states, in the District of Columbia, the U.S.Virgin Islands, and Guam while driving. Nearly everywhere, an officer can fine a driver for using a hand-held cell phone without citing any other offense.

There are also some who think that texting while driving is safe as compared with a phone call. The numbers tell a quite different story – about 400,000 injuries a year in accidents are caused by those who were texting while at the wheel. You can be sure that fleet insurers are closely analyzing the phenomenon, and some fleet GPS tracking companies are directing their research towards innovative solutions.

Studies show that texting is six times more likely to cause an accident than even drunk driving. While your eyes scan a text message, or you are sending one, your attention is shifted away for as long as five seconds.

Your fleet agenda for Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Five seconds distraction from driving is the equivalent of traversing the entire length of a football field with closed eyes, if you are doing 55 mph. Is it really that dangerous? It is rated the most dangerous thing to do with a cell phone while driving, and a survey among drivers has shown that 94% are in support of a ban on texting while driving.

During the Distracted Driving Awareness month of April, let’s take the opportunity to set a good example to young drivers, as it has been seen that one in five teen drivers in a fatal accident was distracted by his or her cell phone. They are four times more likely than an adult to be involved in an accident when using their cell phone.

What practical steps will help avoid distracted driving and avert a crash? A fleet driver must turn off all electronic devices and place them out of reach before starting the vehicle. If a person who is driving wants to use a phone while driving, make or answer the call for them so that the driver’s attention remains fully on the road.

It’s time to educate and caution our commercial fleet drivers about not using a cell phone while at the wheel, and to spread the awareness about Distracted Driving far and wide, not just in April, but year round.

If you are attending the NAFA meet, do stop by at Azuga’s booth: #800, and let’s show you how our distracted driving solutions work.

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