One in four construction business owners (24%) reported having an employee involved in an accident while driving for work due to distraction from mobile phone use, according to a new study by Travelers Insurance. In 2023, 20% of owners reported similar accidents.
Although 68% of those businesses surveyed said that they have an official policy about employees using a phone while driving, 66% said that they worry about liability. That concern is up 10 percentage points compared to 2023, according to Travelers.
The construction data is part of a larger survey that shows overall risk increasing due to several distracting behaviors. Machine data can be used to coach operators to change dangerous behavior.
Behaviors that distract drivers
Travelers identified five behaviors that have increased since before the Covid pandemic:
- Updating or checking social media: +13%.
- Typing a text or email: +10%.
- Talking on a cellphone (hands-free): +10%.
- Using a cellphone to record videos/take photos: +9%.
- Reading a text or email: +9%.
“Distraction is one of the leading causes of roadway fatalities, and it continues to have a devastating impact on individuals, families and communities,” said Michael Klein, EVP, in a statement.
Nearly half of respondents said that they believe roads are less safe than they were one year ago, and 78% said that inattentive driving is more of a problem now than it has been in past years.
Of the executives surveyed across all industries, 85% said that they are concerned about employees’ use of mobile technology while driving, up from 77% in 2023. Seven of 10 executives (68%) said that they have instituted distracted-driving policies.
Read also: How to develop a safety culture
How companies are enforcing distracted-driving policies
- Formally communicating about restrictions concerning phone calls, texts, and/or emails while driving for work (84%).
- Requiring employees to sign an acknowledgment of the policy (66%).
- Disciplining employees who do not comply with company policy (77%).
- Prohibiting the use of handheld devices while driving (53%).
“Distracted driving is a preventable crisis,” said Chris Hayes, assistant VP of workers compensation and transportation, risk control, in a statement. “If you’re the passenger in a vehicle, speak up if the driver isn’t paying attention to the road. If you’re an employer, avoid calling employees when you know they’re driving.”
