Dear DfBB...
Got a fleet-related question or something on your mind? Let the team at Driving for Better Business know and it will (hopefully) make all your worries go away!
We have 14 delivery vans plus a grey fleet of around 50 vehicles on our fleet. Although we already insist on hands-free use of any phone at all times – in line with the law – we would like to introduce a ‘no-mobiles’ phone policy. What difference might this make and how can we get drivers to understand why we are doing this?
DfBB says...
It's worth stressing from the outset that holding and using a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any device that can send or receive data, while driving or riding a motorcycle, is illegal. This means you must not use a device in your hand for any reason, online or offline. While it is currently not illegal to use the phone hands-free, many organisations are opting for an outright ban. Balfour Beatty introduced a complete ban nearly 10 years ago. Think of this: ‘just because it’s legal, doesn’t mean it’s safe’.
Mobile phone use is one of the biggest distractions for drivers, who are four times more likely to be involved in an accident. Through Operation Tramline, police use cameras to identify illegal driver behaviours such as phone use or not wearing a seatbelt. Regardless of how a phone is used on the move, research projects repeatedly show that a driver using it is distracted and failing to concentrate on the road. Penalties are also stiff: with six points for one offence, drivers could be off the road and fleets have to deal with the costs and inconvenience of being a driver down. It’s worth mentioning that a driver with HGV entitlements, who is convicted of using a handheld phone or mobile device while driving, can have their vocational licence revoked by the Traffic Commissioner.
“Mobile phone use is one of the biggest distractions for drivers, who are four times more likely to be involved in an accident. Through Operation Tramline, police use cameras to identify illegal driver behaviours such as phone use or not wearing a seatbelt”
Getting everyone to understand the rules and laws requires education, as many drivers believe that talking hands-free is no different from talking to a passenger. It also requires leadership. Experts recommend that a ban on phone use behind the wheel applies to everyone in the organisation – and that everyone knows that drivers are uncontactable while on the road. Drivers need to set satnavs and have workflows programmed before the journey starts. Be clear about personal mobile phone use while driving on company business – it this acceptable or is it just company mobiles that can’t be used?
A recent Driving for Better Business Fleet Focus theme was driver distraction. It included tips from a National Highways Traffic Officer plus a podcast interview with cognitive psychologist and distraction expert Dr Gemma Briggs, who explains that it’s not really whether you have both hands on the steering wheel and both eyes on the road ahead: it’s a matter of having your mind elsewhere. Dr Briggs also explains that in a phone discussion, the person at the other end cannot see what the driver can see and is unaware if the driver goes quiet while handling a potential hazard – something that a passenger normally responds to.
The human brain doesn’t multi-task. If you are doing something else, you aren’t driving.
What can fleet managers do to manage driver distraction?
- Establish a ‘no mobiles while mobile’ rule as part of the driving for work policy
- Ensure everyone in the organisation understands that drivers should not be asked to use a mobile while driving
- Make sure that sat navs and workflows are programmed before the journey starts and mobiles are turned off
- Educate drivers on the effects that distractions have on their driving performance
