Risk & Business Magazine Spectrum Insurance Spring 2017 | Page 29

OSHA & DOT • Requires employees to text while driving • Organizes work so that texting is a practical necessity even if not a formal requirement • Provides any sort of financial or other incentives that encourage workers to text while driving If OSHA receives a credible complaint that an employer enforces or encourages any of these activities, they will investigate and, where necessary, issue citations and penalties to end such practices. SUPPORTING SAFETY IN YOUR WORKPLACE Since distracted driving falls under the General Duty Clause and not a specific standard, there are no direct guidelines for how you must protect employees from the dangers of distracted driving. IT IS UP TO YOU AS THE EMPLOYER TO INSTITUTE YOUR OWN MEASURES TO KEEP EMPLOYEES SAFE. The easiest way to do this is to develop a policy that outlines how employees are to use mobile devices while carrying out their duties. Specifically noting that texting while driving is not allowed not only protects employees but also will keep your company from violating OSHA regulations. IS DISTRACTED DRIVING REALLY A PROBLEM? Distracted driving kills. The friends, family, and neighbors of the thousands of people killed each year in distracted driving crashes will tell you it is a very serious safety problem. The nearly half a million people injured each year in distracted driving incidents will agree. WHAT IS DISTRACTED DRIVING? Distraction occurs any time you take your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, or your mind off your primary task: driving safely. ANY NONDRIVING ACTIVITY YOU ENGAGE IN IS A POTENTIAL DISTRACTION AND INCREASES YOUR RISK OF CRASHING. IF IT’S SO DANGEROUS, WHY DO PEOPLE DO IT? Some people still don’t know how dangerous distracted driving is. Others know about the risks of texting and talking on a phone while driving but still choose to do so anyway. They make the mistake of thinking the statistics don’t apply to them or that they can defy the odds. Still others simply lead busy, stressful lives and use cell phones or smartphones to stay connected with their families, friends, and workplaces. They forget or choose not to shut these devices off when they get behind the wheel. WHO ARE THE MOST SERIOUS OFFENDERS? Our youngest and most inexperienced drivers are most at risk, with 16 percent of all distracted driving crashes involving drivers under age 20. But they are not alone. At any given moment during daylight hours, over 660,000 vehicles are being driven by someone using a hand-held cell phone. SENDING OR READING ONE TEXT IS PRETTY QUICK, UNLIKE A PHONE CONVERSATION. WOULDN’T THAT BE OKAY? Texting is the most alarming distraction because it involves manual, visual, and cognitive distraction simultaneously. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field, blindfolded. It’s extraordinarily dangerous. IS IT SAFE TO USE A HANDS-FREE DEVICE TO TALK ON A CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING? So far, the research indicates that the cognitive distraction of having a hands-free phone conversation causes drivers to miss the important visual and audio cues that would ordinarily help them avoid a crash. WHY DOESN’T THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MAKE DISTRACTED DRIVING ILLEGAL? Passenger car driving behavior falls under the jurisdiction of the individual states, so the US DOT can’t ban it. Congress has considered a number of good laws to prevent distracted driving, but unfortunately nothing has passed yet. However, many states have stepped up to pass tough laws against texting, talking on a cell phone, and other distractions while driving. + Dan Frost – Risk Management/DOT Specialist. With over 30 years experience, Dan specializes in OSHA, DOT and Worker Compensation Claims. If you have any questions or would like to discuss this topic, he can be reached at 877-582-7046 or [email protected] BY: DAN FROST, DOT ADVISOR, SAFETY & RISK MANAGER, SPECTRUM INSURANCE GROUP 29