According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), for every two seconds that a driver’s eyes stray away from the road, he/she is twice as likely to have an accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also claims that driver inattention is the leading contributing factor in most crashes or near-miss accidents in the United States.Of all crashes, 80 percent (and 65 percent of near-crashes) involve driver inattention within a three-second window of the incident. When motorists change radio stations, try to read maps or talk on cell phones, they are putting themselves and others at risk.
The latest danger to hit the roadways in recent years is texting while driving. AAA claims that texting requires a motorist’s full attention, which obviously affects his or her attention to the road. This is a concern not just for normal motorists; many occupational drivers have been involved in roadway crashes that have taken the lives of others. These drivers were texting while driving on the job. Here are some examples:
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A Boston trolley driver missed a red light while texting his girlfriend and smashed into another trolley. This accident injured 50 people.
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A Florida truck driver killed two young women when he hit their vehicle because he was texting.
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An attorney in Nevada rolled his company-issued SUV because he failed to pay attention due to texting.
Many states have laws outlawing the use of cell phones and texting while driving. To avoid a ticket and a potentially dangerous accident, do not use your cell phone in any capacity while driving. If you must make a phone call or text, pull off the road safely and then do so.
Texting is one of the most prevalent causes of roadway crashes because drivers are so distracted by the messages on the screen and typing a response message back on the keypad. Something to think about: would you feel good about your children or loved one riding on a bus while the bus driver was going to text every couple of minutes or so during the ride?
If you have any questions concerning texting while driving and how you can improve your employees safety, please contact the LL Roberts Group PEO Risk Management department (toll free) at 877.878.6463.
