Last updated April 12, 2019
Companies need to take further steps to ensure that their employees change their old cell phone practice of using their mobile device while driving a motor vehicle. That is the recommendation following the release of the results of a new survey from Zoomsafer. The survey shows that the majority of businesses in the United States are aware of dangerous cell phone and driving practices carried out by their employees, a practice that could result in accidents and potential liability claims against the companies themselves.
While the findings do show that managers are starting to take notice and become concerned by the cell phone and driving habits of their underlings, with many companies – around 62 per cent, in fact – actually forcing their employees to sign written contracts expressly stating that they will not use their cell phone and drive at the same time while conducting company business. Only around half (just 53 per cent) actually take any steps to try to ensure that this policy is carried out by their employees. Most of the ones who do are too reliant on disciplinary measures taken against an employee after such an infraction has occurred, with only two per cent attempting to manage compliance before an infraction occurs.
“The fact that so many companies are telling employees to put the phone down while driving is encouraging from a policy perspective,” admits the chief executive officer of Zoomsafer, Matt Howard. “However, from a practical perspective, it’s simply not enough… companies must actively measure and enforce employee compliance.”