In the UK, it's illegal for people to hold a cell phone while they're in the process of driving a vehicle. If they get caught doing it, they can be fined £200 and given 6 penalty points, and in some cases, they can even lose their license.
Yet, despite all of this, cell phone distraction is still a huge problem in many UK cities. According to Driver and Vehicle Licensing, there are thousands of people who have been caught using a cell phone while driving on more than one occasion.
Do you want to make sure that you don't become a part of this troubling statistic? Or better yet, do you want to stop your employees from becoming a part of it while they're on the job working for you?
There are steps you can take to limit phone distraction out on the road. Check some of them out below.
If you have a job that requires you to keep your cell phone on while you're working, it might not be possible for you to shut your phone off and disappear for a while. But if you can swing it, the most effective way to prevent cell phone distraction while driving is to power your phone down.
Before you start your car, take one last look through your phone to see if there are any phone calls, SMS messages, or emails that you need to check out. Then, once you're all caught up, shut your phone off and put it away.
This will prevent you from answering calls or taking a glance at SMS messages while you're driving. In most cases, it'll be more of a hassle than it's worth to try and get your phone back on.
Whether you choose to keep your phone turned on while you're driving or shut it off completely, one of the other good ways to limit cell phone distraction is by placing your phone in a place you can't reach.
Some drivers will choose to stick their cell phone underneath their seat in a place where they can't find it easily. Others will throw their cell phones into their glovebox and leave it there for the duration of their ride.
The one problem with taking this approach is that, if you do happen to try to reach for your phone while driving, you could put yourself and others in serious danger. For that reason, it's important for you to commit to not using or reaching for your phone at any point during your trip.
There are some people who can't shut their phones off completely or throw their phones into their gloveboxes while they're driving. Many people need to keep their phones handy so that they can use it to get directions while working.
If you fall into this category, you don't need to shut your phone off or stash it out of sight. You can keep it out where you can see it. But you need to do so in a way that will still keep you safe.
Ideally, you should buy a mount and use it to mount your cell phone to your windshield. This will allow you to see your GPS without putting you in harm's way.
You do want to be careful about where you mount your phone, though. It shouldn't block your vision and make it difficult for you to see what's happening in front of you.
If you need to communicate with someone outside your vehicle and you have a passenger in the car with you, ask them to lend a hand. They can place a call for you or send an SMS message on your behalf to whoever you need to contact.
This will allow you to touch base with someone without forcing you to take your eyes off the road.
The absolute best way to prevent cell phone distraction is by installing an app on your phone that will render it useless while you're driving. When you have an app like this on your phone, your phone will stay on in the car but you won't be able to:
There are many fleet owners in the UK who have fallen in love with apps like this because it makes their jobs easier. They don't have to worry about talking to their employees about staying off their phones when they're driving because the apps take care of that for them.
As an added bonus, some of these apps also allow fleet owners to keep tabs on their employees while they're driving. They can monitor how fast they're driving and where they're located right in real time.
This will protect both your drivers and your business as a whole if you're a fleet owner. You'll be able to avoid all kinds of legal and insurance risks associated with cell phone distraction.
No matter how many times people hear about the dangers of cell phone distraction, they just can't seem to contain themselves when it comes to placing calls and sending out SMS messages when they're driving.
If this is something that concerns you because of the nature of your business, you should require your employees to install an app on their phones that will restrict their cell phone use while they're driving. You'll sleep better at night knowing that your employees aren't making calls and exchanging messages when they're supposed to be focused on the road ahead.
Would you like to learn more about how our Driver Protection app might be able to protect your employees and your business? Contact us to speak with a representative about how it could benefit you.