Texting and driving will get you a ticket in the DOT’s national crackdown April 10-15, 2015. Companies can be fined if workers text and drive on the job.
Police across the United States are enforcing Department of Transportation’s first-ever campaign against driving while texting. The six day blitz will aim at everyone—John Q. Public, and employees driving company vehicles.
In this podcast, Dan Clark reminds company owners, managers and employees of on-the-job texting and driving regulations.
Various government agencies have rules strictly forbidding texting while driving. Hear comments from OSHA’s Dr. David Michaels about every company’s responsibilities on this subject.
TRANSCRIPT:
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Dan Clark: A national crackdown on texting and driving is happening. It’s focused on the general public, but employees should know the rules about driving while texting in a company vehicle.
Hello, I’m Dan Clark of The Safety Brief, tackling health and safety hazards in today’s demanding industrial and construction worksites.
The US Department of Transportation’s first-ever, national, law enforcement crackdown on texting and driving is April 10th through the 15th. Police from all jurisdictions across America are on the hunt for distracted drivers, especially texting drivers.
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Laws vary state to state, city to city, for the public. But the DOT initiated the no-texting-while-driving rule for commercial vehicles in 2010. Federal employees are banned from texting while driving in any vehicle.
OSHA’s Dr. David Michaels reminds us:
Dr. David Michaels: Year after year, the leading cause of worker fatalities is motor vehicle crashes.
Dan: Not from falls from heights. Not from workplace violence. Nearly 40% of worker deaths are because of. . .
Dr. Michaels: Motor vehicle crashes.
Dan: And company owners. . .
Dr. Michaels: It’s your responsibility and legal obligation to have a clear, unequivocal and enforced policy against texting while driving.
(1:20)
Dan: Declare company vehicles a text-free zone.
Dr. Michaels: Companies are in violation of the OSHA act if, by policy or by practice, they require texting while driving or create incentives that encourage or condone it.
Dan: Four steps toward a good company policy on the use of mobile devices:
• 1. Establish workflow and rules that don’t require workers to text while driving to do their jobs.
• 2. Set up clear times, places and procedures for drivers’ safe use of texting and other communication devices to reach managers, coworkers or customers.
• 3. Incorporate safe communications practices into worker orientation and training.
• 4. Drop financial incentives that encourage workers to text while driving.
(2:06)
Dr. Michaels: Employers who prohibit texting while driving will help keep workers safe, both on the job and on the road home at the end of the workday.
Dan: Again, that’s Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary Of Labor, OSHA.
Driving with a phone in one hand? You’ll have a ticket in the other. If you’re an employee conducting business, the company can be fined too.
The DOT’s national anti-texting police stops are April 10th through the 15th, 2015, but it’s a year-round issue. The Safety Brief’s message: Don’t use cell phones or other electronic devices behind the wheel, regardless of your local laws.
(2:43)
A couple of final tips:
• 1. Turn off your electronic devices before you drive and stash them out of reach.
• 2. If you’re a passenger and your driver starts to use an electronic device, speak up. Offer to make the call or text so their full attention stays on the road.
(2:59)
That’s all for this episode, Cracking Down On Texting And Driving. Come back for more ways to stay safety compliant in today’s ever-changing landscape of safety requirements. I’m Dan Clark of The Safety Brief, a service of Creative Safety Supply. Save 10% off your entire order at creativesafetysupply.com with coupon code SAFETYBRIEF.
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Laws on cell phone use state by state. See this updated list by The Governors Highway Safety Association
truck & cell phone graphic © ℗ 2013 Ad Council / NHTSA www.stoptextsstopwrecks.org
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