Tag: #distracteddriving

Distracted Driving Awareness Month: An opportunity to dialogue with employees

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
Original article published by J.J. Keller

Train on the dangers of multitasking while driving

April is Distracted Driving Awareness month. The annual safety campaign promotes discussion on risky driving behaviors, which cost over 3,500 people their lives in 2021.

Dialogue on distracted driving is not just for commercial drivers. Any employee who operates a fleet vehicle or a personal vehicle on behalf of your company should be trained on the dangers of distracted driving.

Keep your employees engaged during training

The topic of distracted driving has been promoted for several years. As a result, getting your employees’ attention may take some creativity, since some may have become desensitized to the message on the dangers of distracted driving.

Consider the following training tips:

  • Use real-life examples of crashes and the impact on those involved (fatality, injuries, jail time, financial ruin).
  • Have the trainees come up with a list of distractions, which forces them to think about the impact of multitasking while driving. Let them know it is more than just cell phone use. Tasks might include using a GPS, eating, drinking, and adjusting the radio, seats, mirrors, and vehicle’s temperature.
  • Illustrate how far a vehicle travels at 60 mph when performing different tasks.
  • Familiarize participants with your corporate policy on distracted driving.
  • Discuss appropriate actions to avoid multitasking while driving (pull over, adjust equipment prior to driving).

Use of technology

The use of a vehicle’s telematic data or dash cam video clip can help detect and reduce distractions.

The intent of monitoring drivers is not to punish them. It is to help prevent a serious crash. Those drivers identified as having close calls should be spoken with, coached, and/or required to take corrective action training.

This article was written by Kathy Close of J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Don’t drive distracted

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
Original article published by Safety+Health
DDAM_2022-Drivers-on-their-phone.jpg
Photo: National Safety Council

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month – the perfect time to review some safe driving tips from the National Safety Council.

Before driving:

  • Adjust your mirrors, seat position and air temperature.
  • Set the radio.
  • Program your navigation system, and then check the route.

While driving, DON’T:

  • Reach down or behind you if you drop or need to grab an item. Wait until you’ve pulled over to a safe location and have stopped your car.
  • Eat or drink. Safe driving requires two hands on the wheel at all times.
  • Try to take care of other passengers, including children. Pull over to a safe spot and then take care of their needs.

And remember: Hands-free or handheld, cellphones have no place behind the wheel. According to NSC, drivers talking on cellphones can fail to see up to 50% of their surroundings. Keep the phone stored in your bag or put it in the glove compartment to resist temptation.

Learn more about Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

Take the pledge to avoid distracted driving.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Distracted Driving Awareness Month is a reminder to focus on the road

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
By Garin Groff / ADOT Communications

Let’s face it: We’re overwhelmed with potential distractions when we’re on the road. Rubbernecking at that fender-bender. Answering an urgent call from the boss. And wolfing down breakfast while rushing the kids to school. Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

While these may seem like mundane things that are of no concern while we’re behind the wheel, think about this grim fact: Distractions like these claimed the lives of at least 39 people on Arizona roadways in 2020.

Is that worthy of your attention?

ADOT is reminding drivers of how important it is to pay attention while on the road as part of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. While it’s important to avoid distractions at any time of year, this is a good time for all of us to think about what can happen when we become distracted in our vehicles.

Fatalities are just part of the danger. At least 8,110 crashes were attributed to distracted driving in Arizona in 2020, according to data collected by ADOT. And the number of distracted driving crashes and fatalities may be much higher because drivers may not admit to being distracted – or because the drivers die in a collision.

Drivers face consequences even if their distracted driving doesn’t result in a crash. Since 2021, Arizona drivers can face civil penalties because it is illegal for drivers to use hand-held mobile devices like cell phones or tablets while behind the wheel. Fines range between $75 and $149 for the first violation and additional violations can be as much as $250.

If you, or maybe a friend who is known to be easily distracted behind the wheel, need any more reminders of the dangers of distracted driving, check out ADOT’s “Distracted Drivers Terrify Me” campaign.

And the next time you’re on the road, remember to focus on the road so you get to your destination safely.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

First published by National Safety Council

Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Photo: NSC

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and new NSC estimates show that our roads are the most dangerous they’ve been in years; on a typical day, eight people are killed and hundreds more are injured in distraction-affected crashes. Your workers face distracted driving risks on every trip, from the driveway to the parking lot and back home again.

This April, team with NSC to spread the word that distracted driving, including hands-free phone use and infotainment systems, puts everyone at risk. Sign up for free, ready-to-use resources to create a distracted driving program that engages your workforce and reminds everyone to #JustDrive.

“Drivers using cellphones are four times more likely to crash, and hands-free phone use offers no safety benefit,” the council says.

Be a focused driver.

What’s that? NSC says a focused driver:

  • Adjusts vehicle controls such as mirrors, seat, radio and air temperature before driving.
  • Programs the GPS before leaving.
  • Plans ahead – determines routes, directions and checks traffic conditions before departing.
  • Doesn’t multitask behind the wheel.
  • Doesn’t talk on a cellphone – even hands-free – or interact with the vehicle’s infotainment system.
  • Doesn’t reach down or behind the seat, pick up items from the floor, or clean the inside of the window while driving.
  • Doesn’t eat or drink while behind the wheel.

Take the NSC Just Drive Pledge

Commit to driving distraction-free by taking the NSC Just Drive Pledge and help us make the roads safer for everyone with a donation to our lifesaving mission.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Support grows for reintroduced legislation aimed at curbing distracted driving

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
First published by Safety+Health an NSC publication.

Don't drive distracted sign

Washington — The American Trucking Associations is backing recently reintroduced bipartisan legislation intended to help states reduce distracted driving.

In a letter dated March 26 and addressed to leaders of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, ATA Vice President of Safety Policy Dan Horvath calls the Safe to Drive Act (S. 195 and H.R. 762) “a tremendous opportunity to focus greater resources and attention to accidents that our professional drivers cannot easily anticipate: those caused by distracted passenger motorists.”

Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), along with Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Steve Cohen (D-TN), in February reintroduced the legislation, which would mandate the Department of Transportation allocate up to 25% of available grant funding toward national priority safety program grants to states that pass legislation banning driver use of mobile devices. Funds would be used to enforce such laws and for distracted driving education programs.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that in 2019, 3,142 fatalities occurred as a result of traffic incidents involving distracted driving. In the letter, Horvath cites additional NHTSA data showing this figure marked a 9.9% increase from the previous year.

“In commercial trucking, we require drivers to keep their eyes on the road ahead at all times – and we should expect the same vigilance of every motorist on the road,” he writes. “Sadly, convenient access to social media and streaming services has only increased the number of potential road hazards, leading to increases in the quantity and severity of distracted driving incidents.”

In an ATA press release, commercial motor vehicle driver Steve Fields voiced his dismay over the various distracted driving behaviors he has witnessed.

“I have seen everything from texting to putting makeup on, to even reading a newspaper while driving,” he said. “Taking your eyes off of the road for just two seconds compromises highway safety. Anything we can do to reduce distraction is a good thing.”

In a separate release, Klobuchar said the legislation “will help ensure states have the resources to create safer roads for all and, ultimately, save lives.”

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, DOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

First published by ADOT.

PHOENIX – For National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April, the Arizona Department of Transportation is doing its part to create a buzz around the dangers of texting and driving.

Building on its “Distracted Drivers Terrify Me” campaign, ADOT has produced a new public service announcement. This one features a beekeeper. This is the fifth 30-second PSA in a campaign that shows Arizonans doing something most people find terrifying.

The “Distracted Drivers Terrify Me” campaign began in the fall, featuring a Phoenix Zoo snake handler, a rodeo bullfighter, a high-rise window washer and a Salt River Project power line tech. What’s the one thing that terrifies these brave men and women? Distracted drivers, of course. The PSAs will continue to be broadcast on more than 100 TV and radio stations around the state, in partnership with the Arizona Broadcasters Association, and shared on ADOT’s social media channels.

Earlier this year, civil penalties for violations of Arizona’s hands-free law went into effect. It is illegal (link is external)for drivers to talk or text on a device not engaged in hands-free mode on all roadways in Arizona. The first violation may result in a fine between $75 and $149 and subsequent violations can be as much as $250, plus applicable surcharges.

Those fines really sting, but they’re a far better outcome than causing a preventable crash. In Arizona in 2019, the most recent with finalized crash data, at least 10,491 drivers involved in crashes were engaged in distracted driving behavior. However, traffic safety stakeholders believe this figure is actually much higher because distracted driving is underreported since drivers often don’t admit to being distracted or died in the crash.

For more information on ADOT’s “Distracted Drivers Terrify Me” awareness campaign, visit azdot.gov/terrify.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, DOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

ADOT distracted driving campaign raises awareness

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

First published by ADOT.

Enforcement phase of hands-free bill begins January 1
PHOENIX – Perhaps you’ve seen the acrophobia-inducing public service announcements on TV? Maybe heard the rattlesnake’s rattle and hiss while listening to Pandora? Or saw one man distracting a one-ton bull in social media posts, all in the name of preventing distracted driving

Three months after the Arizona Department of Transportation launched its distracted driving awareness campaign “Distracted Drivers Terrify Me,” aimed at reducing the number of people engaging in distracting behaviors while driving, the public outreach effort is still going strong.

And the timing couldn’t be better.

In just a few days, the final phase of the statewide texting and driving ban will go into effect. On Jan. 1, 2021, violators of Arizona’s hands-free law (HB 2318) will become subject to civil penalties. The first violation will result in a fine between $75 and $149 and subsequent violations can be as much as $250, plus applicable surcharges.

That’s an expensive — and dangerous — text message.

“There’s no good reason to text and drive,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “Plenty of people think they’re excellent drivers and they can multitask behind the wheel. They’re all wrong. Frankly, people become dangerous drivers when they shift their attention from the road ahead to the tiny screen on their phone. Distracted driving must stop.”

In April 2019 Governor Doug Ducey signed legislation that banned the use of hand-held mobile devices, like cell phones and tablets, while driving a vehicle. It is illegal for drivers to talk or text on a device not engaged in hands-free mode on all roadways in Arizona.

Distracted driving causes thousands of entirely preventable crashes every year. In 2019 in Arizona, at least 10,491 drivers involved in crashes were engaged in distracted driving behavior. Traffic safety stakeholders believe this figure is actually much higher, however, because distracted driving is underreported since drivers often don’t admit to being distracted or died in the crash.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, DOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

NSC estimates 724 people will die in roadway crashes over Christmas, New Year’s holidays

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

First published by Safety+Health an NSC publication.

See the source imageItasca, IL — An estimated 340 people will be killed on the nation’s roads during the Christmas holiday weekend, and another 384 over New Year’s weekend. Many of those lives could be saved, however, if travelers buckled up, according to the National Safety Council.

All vehicle occupants should wear their seat belts – doing so could save as many as 287 lives over both holiday periods, the council estimates. Additionally, parents and guardians are advised to check child car seats to ensure they’re properly installed.

The Christmas holiday period begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 24, and ends at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 27. The New Year’s holiday period begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 31, and ends at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3.

Driving sober also will also play a critical role in saving lives, as alcohol typically is involved in 37% and 39% of traffic fatalities over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday periods, respectively, NSC says.

Other recommendations:

“A safe travel season could help instill much-needed hope as we start a new year and close an unrelenting one,” NSC President and CEO Lorraine M. Martin said in a press release. “We can all do our part by buckling up, driving sober, slowing down, avoiding distractions and looking out for one another.”

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

October Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

First published by The National Safety Council.

The National Safety Council (NSC) is hosting the 10th annual Distracted Driving Awareness month.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Safety Council postponed the observance of Distracted Driving Awareness Month from April to October 2020.

This year’s Distracted Driving Awareness month began with the release of a report that covers the science that is behind distractions that occur while driving and make roadways safer.

The report recommends that drivers only use their cell phones if they are parked and that they program apps for navigation and music before they start driving. There is also a signal to legislators to pass laws that prohibit the use of devices while driving.

Just Drive

On a typical day, more than 700 people are injured in distracted driving crashes. Talking on a cell phone – even hands-free – or texting or programming an in-vehicle infotainment system diverts your attention away from driving. Keep yourself and others around you safe and #justdrive.

Join NSC and lead sponsor TRUCE Software – a company dedicated to decreasing workplace distraction and improving worker safety – during Distracted Driving Awareness Month to help make our roadways and our people safer. Create a distracted driving program for your organization, or educate your community by sharing these materials.

To prevent tragedies due to distracted driving, motorists are urged to:

  • Turn off electronic devices and put them out of reach before starting to drive.
  • Be good role models for young drivers and set a good example. Talk with your teens about responsible driving.
  • Speak up when you are a passenger and your driver uses an electronic device while driving. Offer to make the call for the driver, so his or her full attention stays on the driving task.
  • Always wear your seat belt. Seat belts are the best defense against unsafe drivers.

All pedestrians and bicyclists should focus on their surroundings and not on their electronic devices.  Learn more here.

Five Seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting.

For more information on the Distracted Driving Awareness month, visit nsc.org.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, DOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Operation Safe Driver Week Starts Today

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Greenbelt, Maryland (July 12, 2020) – Starting today through July 18, law enforcement personnel will issue warnings or citations to commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in dangerous driving behaviors as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Operation Safe Driver Week.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), although Americans have been driving less due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, the fatality rate per mile driven increased 14% compared to March 2019. NSC’s traffic fatality  confirms that speeding and reckless driving during the pandemic led to a disproportionate number of crashes and fatalities.

As the  of vehicles on roadways decreased in March and April, the average speed in the five largest U.S. metropolitan areas increased by as much as 75% compared to January and February. And in some of the normally more-congested areas of the country, average speeds increased by as much as 250%. For example, the average 5 p.m. speed on Interstate 405 in Los Angeles went from 19 mph to 68 mph. In Chicago, the average speed on Interstate 290 more than doubled to 62 mph from 24 mph. In the Washington, D.C., region, average speeds during the evening rush rose from 27 mph to nearly 70 mph on the capital beltway, well above the 55-mph speed limit. And  to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, from March 23 to May 3, tickets issued for driving 100 mph or more increased 53% compared to 2019, even as traffic levels decreased.

To address his disturbing increase in speeding during the pandemic, this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week will focus on speeding.

Other unsafe driving behaviors that enforcement personnel will be looking for throughout the week include distracted driving, following too closely, improper lane change, etc.

Behavioral  from five weeks prior to the first stay-in-place order (Feb. 6 to March 15) was analyzed and compared to data generated over the next five weeks (March 16 to April 19) – a time frame in which most shelter-in-place orders were announced. According to the data, speeding was up by 27% on average and hard braking climbed 25%. Phone usage on the nation’s roadways increased in the weeks following the stay-at-home guidelines, up by 38% in mid-April. These behavioral changes contributed to a 20% increase in collisions per million miles traveled since the beginning of the shutdowns.

To find out about Operation Safe Driver Week events in your area,  the agency/department responsible for overseeing commercial motor vehicle safety within your jurisdiction.

CVSA – in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the law enforcement community and the motor carrier industry – launched the  in 2007 to reduce the number of deaths and injuries resulting from dangerous driving behaviors.