Distracted Driving: What Businesses Can Do
The Association for Road Risk Management (AARM) webinar this month hosted "Distracted Driving: What employers and drivers need to know", an excellent and well-attended webinar for busineses with staff who drive for work. DriverFocus went along for the ride. Here’s our key takeaways…
The keynote speaker was Dr. Gemma Briggs, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Open University who has been researching driver inattention for 15 years.
Gemma discussed research on the distraction imposed on drivers by mobile phone use, which can help to explain both how and why driving performance deteriorates. Her talk - and highly engaging Q&A session - considered how this research can:
Help those who drive for work, or employ drivers, understand specific issues with phone use
Be used to create evidence-based education for use by the general public and in the workplace
Be best communicated to drivers in an attempt to achieve behaviour change
Some key issues highlighted in the presentation include:
Cognitive distraction is the core issue (it's the call not the handset).
Mobile use is not the same as talking to a passenger.
The "I'm better than the average driver" myth
“If it was dangerous, it would be illegal” is confusing what’s safe with what’s legal
Looking but not seeing phenomenon.
And what employers can do:
Have a clear policy on mobile phone use for all employees
Make visible consequences for ignoring rules
Set realistic targets for drivers
Educate drivers why phone use is dangerous
However, many employers that have a clear policy admit a problem with compliance. Research shows that a clear policy which is enforced reduces offending but "deterrence via policy only works if there's a credible threat of detection".
How to change driver behaviour? Take a structured approach and a six step process is recommended:
Identify the problem
Survey drivers
Add an intervention
Measure effects and survey again
Nudge via reminders and
Troubleshoot by asking why if it doesn't work.
[see also 10 Good Reasons To Manage Driver Behaviour]
For businesses who want to be proactive about tackling distraction and the threat it poses to staff safety and business reputation, DriverFocus has some further suggestions.
While it may sound counter-intuitive at first, technology can actually help.
For example, our mobile telematics app ALLY helps identify the extent of distracted driving and gives individual drivers insights into their behaviour behind-the-wheel. Trip summaries, event analysis, benchmarking, trends, scores and more allow for objective self-monitoring and personalised coaching.
Artifical intelligence (AI) is also harnessed by the Samsara Dash Cam solution to detect a range of key risks when driving, including phone use, eating and signs of fatigue.
Related resources:
Can you really multitask? a BBC video
Driving Challenge - Count all the cars video
Related articles:
DriverFocus Distraction - previous related articles
Sources:
ARRM Masterclass
Related services:
ALLY Mobile Telematics - New ALLY EcoSafe Trends features screentime while driving metrics
Samsara - AI Dash Cam