The rise in distracted driving violations and behavior are affecting fleet safety across all industries, as distracted driving remains one of the top causes of employee-involved crashes.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving claimed 3,142 lives in the United States in 2020 alone. On average, eight people in the United States are killed every day in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver. To combat this issue, the National Safety Council has designated April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. This month-long campaign aims to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and encourage drivers to put their complete focus on the road.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the top violations relating to fleet distracted driving and the impact they have on our roads, as well as expert guidance that you can implement to keep your drivers safe.
Watch Our Free Webinar: “Insider Tips: How Your Company Can Predict and PREVENT Crashes”
The Dangers of Distracted Driving Violations
Law enforcement agencies nationwide are reporting an increase in dangerous driving behavior, especially when it comes to violations relating to distracted driving.
SambaSafety has evaluated the risk of millions of drivers over the past 20 years. Our insights also found that in 2022, the top 20 violations fleet drivers received nationwide included:
- Inattentive Driving
- FTO Traffic Signal Or Light
- FTO Sign Or Traffic Control Device
- Failure To Obey Stop Sign
These violations are all indicative of distracted driving behavior, whether the driver was looking down and missed a stop sign or caught texting while operating their vehicle. To make matters more concerning, these violations are also listed in our recent Crash Prediction Study. The study correlated motor vehicle record (MVR) events with insurance claims, showcasing the increased likelihood that a driver receiving a specific violation would be involved in a crash within the next year.
The results of this study give a clear indication as to which distracted driving violations are the best leading indicators of claims. Failing to signal a lane change is also a dangerous behavior that can be indicative of someone driving distracted. This may seem like a minor violation at first glance, but the data above proves otherwise. A driver who receives a ticket for not using their signal is 112.6% more likely to be involved in a claim within the next 12 months!
To Discover All 38 Violations, Download a Free Copy of Our Crash Indicators Study
Discover Expert Solutions to Stop Fleet Distracted Driving
So how can companies combat these dangerous behaviors and encourage safer driving habits across their fleets?
In our webinar, Insider Tips: How Your Company Can Predict and PREVENT Crashes, our experts dive deeper into how distracted driving violations (as well as other high-risk violation categories) can help companies identify and intervene with drivers who are most likely to cause a crash.
You’ll discover how to spot risky drivers before they receive violations, the 15 most common violations that are leading indicators of future claims and the five simple steps to identify and intervene with high-risk drivers to prevent crashes. You’ll also learn how rising risk and fleet-related costs negatively impact companies across industries.
Watch our on-demand webinar to learn how to better prevent crashes and ensure the safety of everyone on the road!
