More than 400,000 crashes involving cell phone use have already occurred this year in the United States, according to the National Safety Council, and vehicle accidents are among the Top 10 most common reasons an employee is injured on the job.
Employers are responsible for educating employees and curbing the risks of distracted driving not only to prevent injuries and hold the line on workers compensation costs but to protect the company from liability and improve public safety. Business owners are wise to act before an event occurs by ensuring proper workplace policies are in place:
— Include rules about distracted driving in the employee handbook and have employees sign a statement acknowledging them.
— Talk about policies at employee meetings.
— Post signs and reminders around the workplace.
— Encourage employees to modify voice mail greetings to indicate they are unavailable to answer calls or return messages while driving.