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April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which reminds us that even a momentary lapse in attention can have life-altering consequences.
Distracted driving is a leading cause of crashes in the United States. In 2023 alone, 3,275 people were killed because drivers weren’t paying attention on the road. For truck drivers who operate semitrucks and commercial vehicles, the stakes are exceptionally high.
Distracted driving puts truck drivers, fleets and everyone else on the road at risk. Here’s why distractions behind the wheel are such a serious issue, as well as how to prevent accidents and keep drivers safe.
Understanding the Dangers of Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is any activity that diverts the driver’s attention from the primary task of driving. This can include obvious behaviors like texting, talking or browsing on a phone, eating, adjusting controls, or even daydreaming.
The link between driver distraction and crashes is well established. In 2022, an estimated 198,563 injury-causing crashes involving a distracted driver occurred, equating to 12% of all vehicle accidents that year. The statistics are even more telling in commercial trucks. Truck accidents have risen by 18% since 2016, with 5.2% of fatal truck accidents being the result of distracted driving in 2020 alone.
These stats highlight the need for distracted driving regulations and awareness.
Common Driver Distractions for Truckers
There are three main types of distracted driving: visual, manual and cognitive. Visual distractions include anything that makes a driver take their eyes off the road, while manual ones cause them to take their hands off the wheel. Cognitive distractions, such as fatigue, take the driver’s mind off driving. Distractions can also be a combination of these types rather than just falling into one category.
Here are some of the most common distractions for truck drivers:
- Mobile Phones: Smartphones are a top distraction for nearly all drivers, including truckers. They take drivers’ eyes, hands and minds off the road as they check messages or emails, answer calls, navigate apps, etc.
- In-Cab Devices and Controls: Modern trucks are workplaces on wheels, often equipped with trucking gadgets like GPS units, two-way radios and a range of dashboard controls. Interacting with these in-cab devices can take the driver’s attention off the road and put others at risk.
- Eating, Drinking or Smoking: Long-haul drivers often eat and drink while driving to save time. But taking a bite of a sandwich or fumbling with a coffee cup inevitably means at least one hand off the wheel – and eyes off the road if something spills.
- External Distractions: “Rubbernecking” exists because people often can’t resist looking at external distractions like roadside accidents, billboards, interesting scenery, or even people and vehicles around them.
- Fatigue and Drowsiness: Fatigue is a form of cognitive impairment that plagues truck drivers. After long hours, especially at night, a driver’s eyes can grow heavy, and their mind can wander or even slip into microsleep.
Distracted Driving Prevention Tips for Truck Drivers
Stay safe on the road by cultivating better driving habits with these distracted driving prevention tips:
Prepare Before You Drive
Finish all your pre-driving tasks before pulling out of the lot. Set up your GPS with the destination before driving; adjust your mirrors, climate controls, and radio or satellite music in advance; and secure any loose items in the cab.
Use Hands-Free Technology Wisely
If you must make or take a phone call, use a hands-free device or Bluetooth headset. One-touch answering and voice-dialing features can help you keep your hands on the wheel and eyes forward.
Remember that even hands-free calls can be mentally distracting, so keep any necessary conversations brief. You can always get back to the caller at your next stop.
Schedule Regular Breaks
Fatigue destroys our cognitive abilities, making driving while drowsy particularly dangerous. Plan for rest breaks every few hours where you can get out, stretch, eat, check messages and recharge. Use these breaks to handle non-driving tasks (like phone calls, texting or eating) so you won’t feel the need to do them while driving.
If you find yourself getting drowsy or losing focus between planned stops, don’t push it. Pull over somewhere safe and take a break. A short stop is far less costly than the risk of a serious accident.
Avoid Multitasking
Don’t try multitasking when operating a vehicle that weighs several tons. That means no eating meals, texting, taking notes or searching for items in your bag — nothing that diverts your attention from the road. If something else demands your attention, safely park the truck before addressing it.
Stay Mindful and Combat Complacency
It’s easy to go on “autopilot” on a familiar route. However, that’s when daydreaming can sneak in and do the most damage. So, train yourself to stay engaged. For example, narrate the road conditions to yourself, scan your mirrors regularly or imagine a loved one in the passenger seat.
Distracted Driving Prevention Tips for Fleet Managers
Preventing distracted driving is a shared responsibility between truckers and fleet managers or owners. Here’s what fleet owners and/or managers can do to keep drivers engaged on the road.
Establish and Enforce a No-Distraction Policy
Create a clear and strict policy prohibiting texting and phone use while driving. Make it known that driver distractions of any kind (phones, excessive device use, etc.) won’t be tolerated.
Provide Ongoing Training and Education
Make distracted driving awareness part of the training program. Conduct regular refreshers that inform drivers about the dangers of distracted driving, the company’s policies and techniques for avoiding distractions.
Training isn’t one and done — it should be reinforced periodically, especially during Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April or when new truck technology is introduced.
Use Monitoring Technology
In-cab cameras and telematics systems can actively detect and alert owners and managers to distracted driving behaviors.
For example, smart dash cams can sense when a driver’s eyes are off the road or looking down at a phone and trigger an alert or record the event. As a fleet owner, consider deploying these tools — not to “spy” on drivers but to identify risky behaviors and coach drivers on improvement.
Encourage a Culture of Safety and Communication
Safety culture starts at the top. Encourage open communication in which drivers feel comfortable reporting if they are fatigued. Emphasize that safety always comes first, and recognize and reward drivers who uphold distraction-free driving (some companies give out safe driving bonuses or shout-outs for clean driving records).
Stay Safe with Rush Truck Centers
Whether you’re driving or managing, make safety the priority every mile. Commit to staying focused behind the wheel and incorporate innovative policies and support to make engaged driving a company norm.
Need support on the road? Rush Truck Centers is your one-stop shop. From new and used truck sales to parts and nationwide roadside assistance, we’re your trusted partner in keeping your fleet safe and moving.
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