Ways to Prevent Distracted Driving

3,166 people were killed in distracted driving accidents in 2017. Distracted driving is caused by anything that takes a driver’s attention from the road, including:

• Texting or talking on the phone
• Eating or drinking
• Changing the radio station
• Messing with a navigation system
• Talking to passengers

Safe, focused driving means your drivers aren’t creating a hazard for themselves or others on the road, avoiding accidents, and saving you thousands in insurance premiums.

So, how can you prevent distracted driving among your employees without being in the with the,? We’ve got some best practices for you below.

1. Hiring

Experienced drivers are well aware of the risks and consequences associated with distracted driving. Seeking out employees with years of driving under their belt means you don’t have to worry as much about their behavior behind the wheel. If you do choose to hire entry-level drivers, have them first ride along with a top-performing driver so they can observe their behavior and replicate it when the time comes from them to start driving on their own.

2. Training

Regardless of a driver’s level of experience, he or she can always benefit from regular training. Initial on-boarding when a new driver first starts is critical for establishing expectations and getting them started on the right foot. The training shouldn’t stop after on-boarding, however. People tend to fall back into bad habits over time, and ongoing training and analysis helps your drivers reflect on their own actions and reset.

3. Testing

To supplement each training, offer some kind of evaluation to assess whether your employees have retained the details covered. It can be as simple as a written quiz, or as thorough as a live driving evaluation, depending on the focus of the training. Just make sure the test gives you insight into driver skills and knowledge on both a team and individual level.

4. Monitoring

As we mentioned, you can’t sit in the car with every driver on every trip. But there is a way you can track their activities: GPS tracking dash cams. This technology includes interior cameras that put your eyes inside the vehicle so you can view driver behavior as well as alerts for when the sensor picks up hard braking, turning, or speeding. Regular reports for individual drivers show you which employees may be distracted on the road so you can act accordingly.

Don’t let a devastating distracted driving accident destroy your business. Establish a formal training and testing program and implement GPS tracking camera technology to ensure your drivers are being as safe as possible to protect themselves and others on the road.

Looking for a no-contract dashcam solution that can integrate with your existing GPS platform? FleetOptix provides a unique look into your fleet － contact us and get a free quote of our system today.