A recent study found that 70% of operations have been impacted by distracted driving incidents, with mobile phone use being cited as the leading cause by 68% of survey respondents. 

Distracted Driving Remains a Pressing Issue for Fleets 

The survey, conducted by Teletrac Navman, found that nearly 49% of respondents reported distracted driving having a direct financial cost on their operation while 40% said it caused operational disruptions; 28% said it led to safety & compliance breaches; and 25% experienced reputational damage.  

In the United States in 2021 alone, a total of 523,796 large truck accidents occurred across the United States, according to the U.S Department of Transportation. 

How Technology is Being Used for Safety

Technology, training, and developing a culture of safety are three tactics being employed by fleet operators to reduce the number of incidents. Among the different varieties of technologies employed, 78% of respondents reported using advanced telematics solutions. This included various tools such as forward-facing cameras, driver-facing dash cams and digital coaching apps, which collectively enhance visibility into driver behavior and operational safety.

Additionally, 70% of respondents are using technology in conjunction with coaching programs to reinforce safe driving practices. This combination is proving effective, particularly with driver and forward-facing cameras, where 80% of users reported a positive impact. 

This showed a correlation between the overall effectiveness of interventions and the variety of solutions deployed and that the most substantial impact is achieved through the implementation of multiple, complementary solutions. In fact, 73% of respondents felt their solutions for reducing distracted driving were effective, with insights into the perceived impact outlined in the data.