Now exceeding the cost of impaired driving, the problem of distracted driving – and its associated costs – will continue to get worse if left unchecked, says C.J. Meurell, co-founder of Motion Intelligence, at the recent PeopleNet in.sight User Conference in Houston.
Distracted driving, now one of the most common causes of collisions, can a carrier an average of $63,000 for just property damage, $438,000 for a crash leading to an injury and as high as $10.9 million if a fatality is involved.
As reported by Truck News, he said the issue is becoming worse with younger generations, who are more attached to mobile devices, getting behind the wheel.
Meurell said distracted driving for carriers all starts with the culture of your company – do you have a problem with distracted driving and are you doing anything about it?
Some best practices Meurell highlighted were to outline your expectations for your drivers, establish communication lines, get the tools you need to support your policy, and how you are going to enforce your policy.
It also helps to know your drivers, even before hiring them, and continue monitoring their driving behavior and how they comply with your company’s policy.
Meurell said most drivers will embrace any measure that makes their jobs easier and safer, and said fleets need to get their drivers involved to ensure they are informed and trained on any company initiatives, such as a distracted driver prevention program.
Bryan Coyne, general manager of Trimble Transportation Mobility, North America, went through a few of the latest trends in trucking during the Conference, and in-cab video was a hot topic.
Several fleets are starting to employ the use of cameras … to cover the company and driver in the event of an incident.
“The acceptance of video five years ago was a hard sell,” said Coyne, adding that like ELDs, drivers are warming up to the idea.
Those in attendance that used cameras on their trucks said the video is an excellent training tool for drivers.
Showing a driver video of a collision is strong message and indicator of how quickly something can go wrong while on the road.
Full story here.