Case Study : Operation Tramline continued ...
So when we identify people as targets for activity because of their law breaking , we still leave ourselves discretion as to what we then do with them . We can also combine approaches so that we give education and deter at the same time . But whatever we decide to do with those drivers who single themselves out for attention , we should do it in a way that makes them more likely to drive safely in future . The section on procedural justice ( p62 ) is worth a look for seeing how to go about doing that .
The use of Tramline is an effort at securing instrumental compliance ( see p59 ), but each encounter with an offending driver should be taken as an opportunity to achieve higher levels of normative compliance . What this means is that each conversation is a rare opportunity to talk one-to-one to someone who we really need to talk to , and an opportunity to explain why the law exists ( and why distraction is a bad thing generally ). Highways England supplies Tramline officers with a range of leaflets and handouts relating to different schemes ( including Driving for Better Business - see p55 ) that can be used in a targeted way depending on the offence identified .
There are some ideas in the section on one-to-one and small group engagement in this compendium that can be used to structure these roadside conversations in the most effective way ( see p97-99 ). The emphasis should always be on the risk of being harmed and causing harm , in our opinion , as emphasising the risks of getting caught may just encourage them to be more secretive about their mobile phone use in future ( after all , we are using HGV cabs partly because people now tend to use the phone in their lap , rather than to their ear !). It also means that conversations can emphasise that hands-free use is not a viable alternative option and a few statistics about the dangers of using hands-free phones can help make that point .
Leverage Many of the drivers identified by Tramline will be those who drive for work . Something that makes professional drivers a good target group for Tramline enforcement is the leverage that can be applied to them . In most cases , the individual will be dependent on their driving licence , and this means that ‘ points ’ mean more to them than they perhaps to do the average driver . We might start by encouraging officers to record the employer of each driver they stop as a starting point in identifying the bigger issues associated with offending behaviour and employer policy .
Even making it clear that we do this is likely to act as leverage on drivers , and employers themselves . On the flip side , we might consider rewarding companies with effective and enforced policies against distracted driving , and encourage them to promote the Tramline operation . By doing this , they help us achieve our aims and firmly locate themselves on the law-abiding and responsible end of the industry spectrum . A friendly and responsible local employer could even be approached to sponsor the truck . Drivers may be suspicious of an unmarked , trailer-less cab , but would be less so if it was liveried - and that livery helps to promote the friendly company ( and means they CANNOT afford to be caught themselves !).
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