Safety must always be the top priority when driving. Employees driving company vehicles have to understand that, and a comprehensive cell phone policy will reflect your concern
Drivers today love their electronic toys. Cell phones and navigation devices allow them to stay connected and find their destinations. These wireless devices have become indispensable, especially with salespeople, repair personnel, and other employees who drive as part of their job. Cell phones especially allow them to maintain productivity on the road.
But cell phones are potential liabilities as well, and the toll can be heavy. “Distracted driving” is the fourth most serious vehicle safety issue, according to the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety. With motor vehicle accidents the leading cause of work-related injuries, the use of cell phones and other technological devices only ups the ante for workers’ compensation, lawsuits for deaths and injuries, and other claims by third parties.
To lessen liability, and as an accident-prevention measure, a clear, unambiguous policy that discourages the use of cell phones and other devices while driving should be part of your vehicle use requirements.
Is your cell phone policy effective? Do you even have one? If not, we do, and it’s already written and ready to use, along with almost every safety policy you’re likely to need, in BLR’s Essential Safety Policies. Examine it at no cost and with no obligation to purchase.
Safe Phone Use
Your cell phone policy should cover the following safe phone use issues:
- Use a head set while driving or pull over to use a hand-held cell phone.
- Make sure that the phone is kept where it is easy to see and easy to reach.
- Plan any calls you will need to make before you begin to drive. Enter numbers into your speed-dialing feature.
- When dialing manually without the speed-dialing feature, dial only when the vehicle is stopped.
- Avoid placing calls while moving. If possible, make your calls when stopped at a stop sign, red light, or when you are otherwise stationary.
- If possible, ask a passenger to make the call for you or at least dial the number for you.
- Never take notes or look up phone numbers while driving.
- Suspend a conversation during hazardous circumstances—for example, in heavy traffic, when maneuvering around a hazard, or in severe weather conditions.
- While talking, keep your head up and your eyes on the road and frequently check the side and rearview mirrors.
- Let voice mail pick up your calls when it is inconvenient or unsafe to answer the cell phone.
Get the safety policies you need without the work. They’re in BLR’s Essential Safety Policies program. Try it at no cost and no risk.
Policies for Every Need
These days it’s essential to have a clear policy to deal with cell phone use. And it’s equally important that your policy be well communicated. The BLR publication Essential Safety Policies recommends that you incorporate a cell phone policy into your employee handbook so that all employees who drive company vehicles understand their safety responsibilities on the road.
If you’re looking to revise your cell phone policy—or if you need to develop one from scratch—look no further. Essential Safety Policies provides you with sample strict, standard, and progressive versions that you can use "as is" or adapt to your organization’s particular needs and style.
Take these kinds of materials and multiply them by more than two dozen key safety topics, and you’ll know why Essential Safety Policies is such a valuable tool for busy safety professionals. These policies provide a ready-to-modify or use-as-is safety handbook for all your workers, with minimal effort on your part.
The policies provide you with comprehensive lists of points to cover and are backed by a tutorial on policy writing and essential materials such as handbook receipts. A CD version is also available.
If your organization could benefit from supplementing (or perhaps having for the first time) a complete set of ready to use safety policies, we highly recommend a 30-day, no-cost, no-obligation, look at this program. Go here and we’ll be pleased to send it to you.
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