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Contact Us
Foundation Insurance Group
803 West Broad Street
Suite 500
Falls Church, VA 22046
703-988-3750 (phone)
800-203-2811 (toll free)
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Road Safety: Texting and Driving on the Job
There's no point in arguing that smartphones haven't completely changed the way people interact with one another and source information in the modern world. One of the most dangerous and unfortunate side effects of mobile smartphone technology, however, is distracted driving. A study conducted by the Transport Research Laboratory revealed that texting while driving may present an even greater risk than driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The average time drivers take their eyes off of the road to text is five seconds - traveling at 55 mph, that's enough time to traverse a football field, completely blind.
Clearly, distracted driving affects any company in the transportation industry (especially trucking and moving companies), and understanding what's at risk is crucial.
Distracted Driving and the Transportation Industry
According to Distraction.gov, the government's distracted driving website, 3,154 individuals were killed in distracted driving crashes in 2013. While many states have enacted tough laws that affect all drivers, The U.S. Department of Transportation has led the effort by banning texting and cell phone use for commercial drivers in all states, while launching a number of campaigns to help spread awareness of the issue. Despite these efforts, many commercial drivers continue to use their phones while on the road, typically without ever thinking of the risks. What You Can Do
CEOs and managers of transportation companies owe it to both themselves and their drivers to make sure that those drivers are well-educated on the subject of distracted driving. Some commercial drivers aren't fully aware of the consequences that can result from texting while driving, and others think that the benefits outweigh the costs, which is never true. Taking strict precautions to ensure that none of your drivers are using their phones (no matter what) while on the road will not only potentially save their careers and their lives, but it can also result in lower insurance rates if you're able to prove that you're taking every last step to curb this all-too-common problem. (More on that in a minute.)
Luckily, those tempting phones hold the solution to the problem: there are a whole slew of apps that prevent texting while driving, in a variety of different ways. The more basic free apps, like AT&T's Drive Mode, detect when a vehicle is in motion and disable text alerts. Paid apps like Cell Control have programs designed specifically for commercial autos. They give you metrics on employee driving performance, can be configured to allow or disallow certain phone functions, and have partnerships with some insurance companies to offer discounts for users. The Bottom Line
Distracted driving is one of the biggest epidemics to hit America in many years. For commercial drivers, it's simply not an option. Making the effort to keep your drivers from texting or talking while on the job can save lives and help you to grow your organization.
In the end, there's one thing that should be made clear to all of your drivers - it can wait.
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A Customer Service Love Song
A couple of months ago, at the end of a wretched day, I had back-to-back customer service experiences so good that they basically renewed my faith in humanity. Like a nice strong cappuccino, these women were both comforting and bolstering. And while I certainly appreciate the kind of service that one gets from an attentive waiter or a grocer who's knowledgeable about his produce, these women were of a different breed. I didn't need help finding anything, I didn't have any questions. I was just really upset, and they met my emotional needs.
It was One Of Those Days, the kind that starts out with a headache, seasonal allergies, and insufficient sleep and gets progressively worse. By 5 p.m. I was ready to go home and hide beneath my bed.
But I needed sustenance, and at the end of a lousy and exhausting day, PB&J doesn't cut it. So I hopped in the car and drove to Trader Joe's for my personal Holy Trinity of comfort: local peaches, yellow roses, and a Fireworks Bar (dark chocolate, chiles, and Pop Rocks. Sounds bizarre, tastes glorious, makes fun noises). As she rang up my groceries, the cashier, owlish-looking behind her enormous glasses, asked me how I was. So I told her. I could swear that I just said "I'm having a terrible day," but she reacted like I'd told her I had a week left to live. Her sympathy was so intense and genuine, I felt almost guilty, like it was too much caring about one crappy day. She gave me a lollipop, asked me questions about my day, offered me stickers. "I don't like chocolate, so I can't really make a recommendation," she said, lowering her voice, "but if you have a favorite treat here, go grab one and I'll find a way to comp you for it." I assured her that the chocolate I was already buying would be sufficient.
"I hope your day gets better," she said, so very sincerely, as I was paying.
"It has, it's already completely changed," I told her, quite honestly if a bit too earnestly. "You've just made me feel so cared for and attended to." And it took her no longer than any other checkout to give me that amazing service.
Next stop, the bank. The teller asked me how my day was, and I told her that it had been awful until, in three minutes, a cashier completely changed my outlook. We had a conversation about good customer service-how nice it is to be the recipient, but also to be the provider. Making people happy is a skill worth having. Dispensing great service can please you just as much as receiving it.
I finished my transaction and got ready to leave, feeling even better than I had when I left Trader Joe's, when the teller said, "So, what can I get for you?" and pulled open the cabinet behind her. Like a peculiar adult Halloween, she filled my purse with mints, nail files, lip balm, lint rollers.
It was almost too much. An embarrassment of riches. My day simply hadn't been bad enough to warrant so much kindness and attention. But that's what giving really singular customer service is all about - not just trying to fix whatever issue the customer may have, but attending to their emotional needs. Not just satisfying them, but making them feel cared for.
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Combating Workplace Violence
Violence in the workplace is, unfortunately, nothing new for employers in the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics continues to study trends, and has reported reductions in workplace homicides, but these figures only represent the tip of the iceberg. Threats of violence in the workplace are much more common. Unfortunately, like the iceberg, much of the danger lies well below the surface and may go unreported to authorities.
In its simplest terms, workplace violence is defined as any act or threat of physical harm, harassment, or other intimidating behavior that occurs at the work site. Incidents can range from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide. Workplace violence can affect and involve employees, clients, customers and visitors.
Historically, data shows that the most vulnerable workers are in fields such as nursing, utility work, livery, mail delivery, and especially any industry that requires them to work alone, at night, or both.
Safety First
Employers have a duty to provide each employee with a safe and secure work environment, but some things are just not fully controllable.
The best method for addressing workplace violence is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. Savvy companies should design and implement a workplace violence preparedness program, which includes a threat response team made up of members of management who can mobilize quickly when a threat occurs.
Measuring Progress
Even businesses which do their best to provide a positive, violence-free environment face exposure to threats.
How can you measure your progress in building effective workplace violence prevention? One way is to set program goals-a reduction of incidents at all levels. You begin by setting benchmarks today and work from there.
Let's say you conduct an anonymous survey in your organization that asks, "In your daily work routines are you intimidated, bullied, or subject to discrimination?" A year after you implement a workplace violence awareness and prevention program you conduct the survey again, then again at two years out, and so on. That should provide you with some effective data on the success of your program.
Protect the Business
Even with prevention programs in place, workplace violence is a problem that can't be completely controlled, which is why protecting your business with a Workplace Violence insurance policy is a smart idea. This insurance covers things such as the cost to hire independent security consultants and public relations experts, as well as payment of death benefits and business interruption expenses.
As a reminder, the key to combating workplace violence is to remain vigilant and be aware that at any place, at any time, anyone can be a target.
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All content © 2015 Professional Marketing Associates, Inc. This newsletter is not intended to provide specific legal or insurance advice. Please consult your individual agent for further information on the topics covered.
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