Driver Safety - Distracted Driving Awareness
Languages: English
Media Editing: The video module(s) in this subject are editable under our Content Studio offering unless otherwise indicated. For more information about Content Studio, contact your CSM.
Description: Your delivery drivers have to be aware of a lot of things while they're on the road to ensure they arrive safely to each destination. Now, more than ever, there is more to tempt and distract them from that task. They work long hours, make multiple stops, travel far distances, and drive at all times of the day. It can be tempting to make a call, send a text, or look at an interesting billboard just to make the drive more exciting. But, to protect both their safety and your brand, it's important that your employees know how they can keep their focus on the road despite all the distractions. In this subject, learners are taught what distracted driving is, its potential consequences, as well as strategies for preventing it during their deliveries.
Languages: English
Media Editing: The video module(s) in this subject are editable under our Content Studio offering unless otherwise indicated. For more information about Content Studio, contact your CSM.
Description: Your delivery drivers have to be aware of a lot of things while they're on the road to ensure they arrive safely to each destination. Now, more than ever, there is more to tempt and distract them from that task. They work long hours, make multiple stops, travel far distances, and drive at all times of the day. It can be tempting to make a call, send a text, or look at an interesting billboard just to make the drive more exciting. But, to protect both their safety and your brand, it's important that your employees know how they can keep their focus on the road despite all the distractions. In this subject, learners are taught what distracted driving is, its potential consequences, as well as strategies for preventing it during their deliveries.
Languages: English
Media Editing: The video module(s) in this subject are editable under our Content Studio offering unless otherwise indicated. For more information about Content Studio, contact your CSM.
Description: Your delivery drivers have to be aware of a lot of things while they're on the road to ensure they arrive safely to each destination. Now, more than ever, there is more to tempt and distract them from that task. They work long hours, make multiple stops, travel far distances, and drive at all times of the day. It can be tempting to make a call, send a text, or look at an interesting billboard just to make the drive more exciting. But, to protect both their safety and your brand, it's important that your employees know how they can keep their focus on the road despite all the distractions. In this subject, learners are taught what distracted driving is, its potential consequences, as well as strategies for preventing it during their deliveries.
Topics
What is Distracted Driving
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Operating a vehicle is a serious task. Not only will safe driving ensure that you and your deliveries make it to their destination, it will also benefit your customers and your company. Distracted driving is likely a term you’ve heard before, but what actions are truly considered distracted driving? Is it just about not using your cellphone? In this topic, you’ll learn exactly what distracted driving is and the four main types of distractions that could likely cause an accident while you’re making a delivery. We’ll also go over the potential consequences of distracted driving.
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Questions (level 1, 2, 3)
Video module
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This topic is currently available in English.
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Distracted driving is any action that removes a driver’s attention from the road while they’re driving, regardless of the reason or length of time, and makes an accident more likely. Note: Stopped at a traffic light still counts as driving.
There are four types of driver distractions: manual, visual, auditory, and cognitive. They can occur on their own or be combined. Each type is dangerous on its own, but they are even more dangerous and likely to cause an accident when combined.
A manual distraction is an action that causes you, the driver, to remove your hands (one or both) from the steering wheel. It often takes the form of multitasking: you try to do something else while still operating the vehicle.
Examples: multitasking, eating, cellphone use, changing the radio station, drinking, reaching for something, grooming, writing notes, vehicle controls, displays, navigation.
A visual distraction is anything that causes you, the driver, to stop looking at the road. If you look away for even five seconds, you could miss something critical and have a delayed reaction.
Examples: texting, searching for something in the vehicle, reading a billboard, changing radio station/music, looking for street names, enjoying a view, tiredness, reading, watching a video, roadside features, rubbernecking, looking at people/things in the back.
An auditory distraction is a noise, either inside or outside the vehicle, that removes your attention, as the driver, from the road or the act of driving. This can cause you to react late and makes you more likely to miss important information or be in an accident.
Examples: passengers speaking loudly, horns honking, cellphone ringing or beeping, engine making weird noises, radio too loud
A cognitive distraction is anything that causes you, the driver, to think about something other than driving or that makes it harder for you to focus on driving. This can delay your reaction time and make you more likely to be in an accident.
Examples: having a bad day, having a phone conversation or one in person with passengers, daydreaming, lost in thought, focusing on a news report, dialing on a phone, texting
Distracted driving results in “inattention blindness”. This is when your attention as a driver becomes divided between two or more tasks. It can cause delayed reaction times, lane swerving, improper control of speed, and less awareness of surroundings.
Consequences for distracted driving can include, but are not limited to, collisions, injuries, property damage, loss of license or job, and legal action. You can also negatively affect your company’s brand and profitability.
How to Prevent Distracted Driving
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Actions like sending a quick text, taking a photo, or programming a navigation system may seem like harmless activities, but when you try to do them while operating a vehicle, they can become deadly. Regardless of how small or simple a distraction may be, all distractions endanger you and others around you. In this topic, you’ll learn how to reduce and avoid distractions that can cause you to lose focus while you’re making deliveries. If you’re operating a vehicle, your main priority and task is driving. By practicing these simple techniques you’ll help make sure you and your deliveries arrive safely.
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Questions (level 1, 2, 3)
Video module
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This topic is currently available in English.
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Pull over safely or wait until you reach your destination to use or check your cellphone. Even in an emergency, it’s best to park safely before you call for help.
Send any messages (email or text) before you drive, then, turn off any notifications while you drive, turn your phone on silent, or place it out of reach. This will help reduce the chances of it distracting or tempting you while you drive.
Examples: tell people you’re going to be driving, set up ‘do not disturb’
If you need to use a navigation device (GPS, SatNav, a phone, etc.), firmly mount the device to the vehicle within your line of sight, then enter and verify your destination, and turn up the volume before you depart. This will prevent you from having to look away from the road to determine where you need to go.
Look up and plan your route before you start driving, especially if you’re going to an unfamiliar area. Even if you use a navigation device (GPS, SatNav, a phone, etc.), this will help you avoid looking at the map too often or making sudden and dangerous turns and lane changes since you’ll know where you’re going.
Tune and adjust any internal vehicle settings before you drive. This will allow you to keep your focus on the road and prevent you from having to make any adjustments while you drive.
Examples: radio, Bluetooth, music device, seat position, temperature, air vents, mirrors
Avoid wearing headphones while you drive as they can make it harder for you to focus on driving and hearing oncoming emergency vehicles.
Eat, drink, or smoke before you start driving, and don’t consume anything while you drive. This will allow you to focus on the road and prevent you from taking your hands off the steering wheel.
Dress and groom yourself before you start driving, so you can focus all your attention on driving the vehicle safely and keeping your hands on the steering wheel.
Organize and secure all items in your vehicle before you drive. This will prevent them from moving or falling and distracting you while you're driving. If something does fall, leave it until you’re safely and legally parked or pulled over.
Examples: store in proper compartments, remove clutter, organize paperwork, store electronic devices, secure deliveries
Keep your eyes focused on the road and be alert for potential dangers. Try not to get distracted by things like other vehicles, billboards, buildings, and people, unless ignoring them would jeopardize your safety or the safety of others.
Make sure you’re properly rested and not feeling drowsy before driving. If you’re tired, you’ll be more likely to lose focus, swerve, and be less aware of your surroundings.
