The Redwoods Group
Risk Management Services
The Redwoods Group Insurance Program for YMCAs
RISK MANAGEMENT ALERT
TOPIC: Distracted Driving – a significant problem
Most of us have found ourselves in a
vehicle where the driver was so involved in
a conversation – eye contact, hand
gestures, emotions – that we were
uncomfortable, perhaps even fearful. Those
feelings were probably quite justified
because a distracted driver is a dangerous
driver. In fact, 16% of highway fatalities and
21% of injury crashes in 2008 (most recent
data available) involved distracted drivers.1
Distractions come in many forms. The three
main types are cognitive (mind not on
driving), visual (eyes not on the road), and
manual (hands not on the steering wheel).
Common activities involving all three varieties
include reading (newspaper, map, book,
etc.); grooming; fiddling with CD, radio, or Mp3
player; eating; drinking; and, for some,
talking. The first two are nearly universally
conceded to be unwise while driving; the
next four introduce danger in proportion to
the amount of time and focus the driver
directs away from the actual driving process.
The most dangerous distraction, however,
is cell phone use. The perils of texting are
obvious: the mind is on the message, the
eyes are on the screen, and the hands are
busy with little keys – driving has now taken
a back seat. While using a cell phone may not
seem as distracting, especially when handsfree devices are used, studies2 have shown
that driving while using either a hands-free
or hand-held cell phone is dangerous. It
delays the driver’s reactions more than a
blood alcohol content of 0.08% and
increases the chance of crash four-fold.
Driving while using a cell phone, even with a
hands-free device, is driving impaired.
It’s no wonder that the Department of
Transportation has taken a clear and
aggressive position, stating, “Distracted
driving is a serious, life-threatening
practice and we will not rest until we
stop it.” Many states are in agreement and
have passed anti-distraction legislation, but no
current law is stringent enough to affect the
desired change as they permit hands-free
devices, contrary to the recommendations of
numerous studies that clearly demonstrate
that no significant reduction in risk is
provided by their use. So, on the one hand,
such laws are a positive step because in
The National Safety Council
recommends banning the
use of both hands-free and
handheld phones while
driving.
jurisdictions where they have been enacted
the use of hand-held cell phone or texting
while driving constitutes prima facie
negligence with regard to a vehicular crash.
On the other hand, such laws reinforce the
erroneous belief that hands-free devices are
useful in preventing distracted driving. Only
when legislation reflects science will it become
effective in reducing this life-threatening
practice.
OSHA has also gotten involved,
encouraging employers to implement
policies banning the use of cell phones while
driving company vehicles as part of their
organization’s safety program.
Most people recognize the dangers of texting
while driving. However, many employees,
managers included, are extremely
dependent on their cell phones and are
concerned that a ban will negatively impact
productivity and convenience. Most are also
© The Redwoods Group, 2013
Released 11/16/2010 Revised 01/2013
The Redwoods Group – Risk Management Services
TOPIC: Distracted Driving – page 2 of 3 pages
wrongly convinced that they can drive safely
while using a cell phone, especially if handsfree – after all, they have been doing it for
years. However, getting from one place to
another without having a crash is not the
same as driving safely.
Know the facts:
 16% of fatal vehicular crashes3 and
28% of vehicular crashes4 involve
distracted driving
 a person on a cell phone is 4 times as
likely to be involved in an injury-causing
crash than a driver who is not on a cell
phone5
 3 out of 4 drivers who have committed
a traffic
violation were on the telephone at the
time6
/3 of the brain’s processing resources
are drawn
away from driving by the use of a cell
phone7
The bottom line is that driving while impaired
is, by definition, driving unsafely. The means
of impairment is immaterial, and although
impairment does not always result in a
tragic crash, it does increase the probability
of a crash enough to be actionable. Be
responsible. Make the tough decision – two
thirds of those who have done so actually
report an increase both in productivity and
morale, with virtually none reporting a
decline.8 Ban texting and all cell phone use
for anyone who is driving a motor vehicle. If
you are not yet convinced, check out some
of the links in the next column – e.g.,
Executive Summary, Call to action, FAQs,
Top 8 List, or even the Distracted Driving
Course itself. Examine the facts – they are
very compelling.

1
Once aware of the facts the plan of action
should be clear: we should not let
employees drive while technologically
impaired. The following are suggested:
 Implement a safety policy banning
texting and all use of cell phones
(including hands-free) and similar
devices while driving Y vehicles or
driving any vehicle on Y business
 Implement a pull-over-to-answer rule for
any staff who may need to be contacted
when they are off-site and potentially
driving
 Impose significant consequences for
noncompliant behavior; these may need
to be progressive, at least at first
 Encourage staff to behave similarly on
their own time
We ban texting and cell phone use for
lifeguards so that harm won’t result
because they fail to respond to an
emergency. We should ban texting and cell
phone use for those who drive so that such
actions are not the actual cause of an
emergency. If it is crucial for lifeguards, who
are not the cause of harm, to be attentive,
how much more important is it for drivers,
who risk bringing harm to themselves and
innocent others every time they drive a
vehicle, to be at least as attentive?
Be responsible – protect your association,
your staff, and your community. Encourage
and assist your staff to be responsible.
Prohibit all cell phone use and texting while
driving YMCA vehicles or while driving
personal vehicles on Y business.
Contact your Redwoods risk manager for
assistance, or download any of the following
free National Safety Council materials:
© The Redwoods Group, 2013
Released 11/16/2010 Revised 01/2013
The Redwoods Group – Risk Management Services
TOPIC: Distracted Driving – page 3 of 3 pages
Cell Phone Policy Kit (entire) or Individual components below: Introduction
Message From the President Customizable Press Release Building Management
Support Components
Executive Summary
Executive Summary PowerPoint Call to Action
Frequently Asked Questions
National Safety Council Employee Policy Generic Cell Phone Policy
Attributable Risk Estimate Model
Summary
Table
Employee Roll-Out Components Article to Inform
Voice Mail Teaser to Employees Top 8 List
Pull Over and Park Poster Presentation Script
Voice Mail Greetings
Tips
Pocket Policy Card
Focus on Your Driving Poster Distracted Driving Course Instructor Guide
Participant Guide
Instructor PowerPoint
The National Safety Council also has posters and tip sheets which can be used to educate the
public about this deadly behavior – see its website.
National Highway Transportation Safety Administration5Insurance Institute for Highway Safety / University of Toro
2
6
University of Utah and others
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute / NHTSA
3
National Highway Transportation Administration 7Carnegie-Mellon
4
Harvard Center for Risk Analysis/National Safety Council8 N a t i o n a l S a f e t y C o u n c i l
1

Please call us at 800-463-8546 to discuss this or any other risk management safety tip, or visit our
web site at www.redwoodsgroup.com to learn more about YMCA risk management issues.
© The Redwoods Group, 2013
Released 11/16/2010 Revised 01/2013