For drivers, distraction can come from just about any angle — particularly in the form of text messages and phone calls. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver distraction contributed to more than 390,000 injuries and 3,477 deaths in 2015, the last year for which complete data is available.
Studies have shown that communications from family and friends tend to distract drivers the most, but a new survey shows that drivers also feel significant pressure to respond to texts and calls from employers.
About 50 percent of respondents between 18 and 44 years of age said they respond to or make work-related communications while driving.
The poll received responses from more than 1,000 U.S. employees whose jobs involve driving. Of the millennials who responded, 25 percent said they use their phones while driving because they don’t want to upset their employers.
One major implication here is that employers may not be doing enough to help ensure that our roads are safe.
Distracted driving is a life-taker, and employers can do their part to prevent accidents by telling employees to avoid texting or talking while operating a vehicle. Even work-related messages and calls can wait.
The risk of serious injuries is particularly high if an employee is texting or talking while driving a large vehicle like an 18-wheeler or a box truck, although texting behind the wheel of any vehicle can have devastating consequences.
For more on what to do after an accident — and how the costs of a crash can be covered — please see our Pennsylvania Car Accident FAQ.