Training Programs and Technology Solutions to Help Mitigate Distracted Driving Incidents

Training Programs and Technology Solutions to Help Mitigate Distracted Driving Incidents

Distracted driving happens any time a person focuses their attention on anything other than driving. Taking your eyes off the road to look at the person next to you, taking your hands off the wheel to adjust the radio, or taking your eyes off the road and hands off the wheel to send a text message—these are all-too-common examples of distracted driving. But any non-driving activity you do while behind the wheel constitutes distracted driving.

Although laws have been enacted to deter people from distracted driving, it’s still a major issue. In 2020, 13% of all motor vehicle crashes in the United States involved distraction, and 3,142 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Distracted Driving Statistics: The Trucking Industry

When it comes to distracted driving on-the-job, research indicates the transportation and warehousing, public administration, and construction industries are most impacted by distracted driving incidents.

Truck drivers spend their workdays on the road; naturally, distracted driving is considered a major hazard of the job and is one of the most common causes of truck accidents nationwide. Consider the following findings from a study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA):

• Commercial truckers dialing a cell phone are six (6) times more likely to crash.
• Commercial truck drivers texting and driving are 23 times more likely to crash.
• When asked for the most serious distraction the truckers experienced, meaning which had the most dire potential or actual consequences, 71% of the truckers said using social media or surfing the internet.

FMCSA has targeted this issue by implementing regulations that prohibit truck drivers from texting or using hand-held cellphones while driving. Operators violating these regulations face significant penalties, including the loss of their commercial license or heavy fines.

Distracted Driving Statistics, Continued

The trucking industry isn’t the only one affected by distracted driving. Any employee who operates a vehicle as a part of their job, from delivery drivers to emergency services to forklift operators, can engage in distracted driving and put themselves and others at risk. Additionally, individuals who work near roads, like those in the construction industry, have a higher risk of being affected by distracted drivers due to their proximity to moving vehicles.

It’s easy to think that keeping your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel is enough to prevent distracted driving. But a review of 342 studies found that cognitive distraction is just as dangerous as visual and manual distraction—meaning that talking on a hands-free phone is just as likely to lead to impaired driving ability as talking on a hand-held phone.

So, how can distracted driving be effectively addressed? A study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that a full ban on the use of mobile equipment while driving is significantly associated with a lower percentage of fleet vehicles being involved in collisions. In addition to banning mobile equipment while driving, various training programs and technology solutions can help mitigate distracted driving incidents.

Infographic created using data from: www.cdc.gov

Training Programs and Technology Solutions

The best defense against distracted driving may depend on the industry and specifics of the job. For example, construction workers on the jobsite who may be vulnerable to distracted drivers may benefit from different training programs than truck drivers. With that in mind, consider the following training programs and technological solutions. (Disclaimer: Any products listed below are provided as examples. BCSP does not endorse any specific products.)

• Defensive Driving Training. Defensive driving training covers hazard recognition, reaction time improvement, and tactics to help people avoid distractions and prevent crashes, injuries, or worse.
• Behavioral Coaching Programs. In-vehicle monitoring systems collect data on drivers’ behaviors, then provide coaching and feedback to help reduce risky and distracted driving. These types of programs can be done in classrooms and on the road, providing real-world training and feedback.
• Employer-Specific Policy Training. Ideal for industries with fleet operations, custom training based on company rules, focusing on compliance with OSHA, DOT, and state regulations, should be emphasized.
• Simulated Driving Training. This type of training uses virtual reality (VR) or artificial intelligence (AI)-based simulations to demonstrate the dangers of distractions in real-time, allowing individuals to learn and improve their skills in a safe and controlled environment.
• Hands-on Workshops & Toolbox Talks. Use short, interactive safety briefings on common distractions, company policies, and real-world scenarios to keep workers engaged in safe driving practices. Best for construction, logistics, and emergency services.

Technology Solutions

Various technology solutions can be implemented to prevent or discourage distracted driving, such as the following examples:

• Mobile Device Management (MDM) Software. MDM software disables texting, app use, and calls while driving, discouraging distractions.
• In-Vehicle AI Monitoring Systems. In-vehicle monitoring cameras and AI systems detect driver distractions (e.g., looking away, phone use) and send real-time alerts to fleet managers.
• GPS & Telematics Systems. These systems track speed, braking, and distraction-related incidents, which helps companies enforce policies and coach drivers.
• Distracted Driving Apps. Employees can install apps that lock screens while driving, mitigating the habit or temptation to check their phones.
• Fatigue Detection Systems. These systems monitor for signs of drowsiness or inattentiveness and alert the driver. This can be particularly useful for long-haul truckers and others who spend many hours behind the wheel.

Real-Life Application: The Marble Jar

Getting your team to recognize distracted driving as a legitimate risk is the first hurdle in fighting against distracted driving. Michael Langston, Vice President of Safety, Health and Environmental (SH&E) at Clean Earth, shared on BCSP’s My Big Safety Challenge podcast a moving example of how he emphasizes safe driving within his company: “Every time you pick up a cellphone [while driving], nothing happens…Nine times out of 10, nothing happens, right? If the first time you picked up your cellphone you had an accident, you’d never touch it again.”

To demonstrate the risks of distracted driving, Langston and his team filled 700 jars full of marbles and sent them out across the U.S. to his drivers. The jars were filled with mostly white marbles which represented the idea of a driver coming home after a day of work without any incidents. There were some blue marbles mixed in, representing near-misses. There were also a few red marbles representing an actual accident. “And in every jar, we had a black marble,” Langston said. “It meant you had a really serious incident that changed your life forever in some form or fashion.”

Once the jars were sent out, Langston asked his team to try to note how many times they were distracted that day while driving, whether it was from looking at a billboard, adjusting the air conditioning, changing the radio station, or any other distraction. The number of times an employee experienced distraction equated to the number of times they would blindly pull a marble out of their jar. For some team members, it would be up to 15 distractions per day. Some employees would pull all white marbles, while others would pull a few blues and reds—emphasizing the point that you never know when a moment of distraction can turn into a catastrophic incident.

“An employee pulled out a black marble,” Langston recalls. “Fourteen marbles were all white, one was black. If you knew you would pull the black marble, you would pay attention.”

Now, when Langston’s team notices incidents of distracted driving, “…they say, ‘You got your hand in the marble jar, and eventually you’re going to pull one you don’t want. Stop putting your hand in the marble jar.’”

Takeaway

Distracted driving is a common and dangerous occurrence that can cost people their lives. Employers can take an active role in prevention by educating employees on the risks of distracted driving, finding effective and creative ways to reinforce the importance of safe driving, and putting protective measures in place to prevent and mitigate distraction while driving, including training programs and various technological solutions.

Tags: Distracted Driving Driving Training Programs

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