asThe distractions while driving listed above are not entirely fault by the drivers. Studies have shown that several factors including workplace stress, mental health issues, lack of training of safe driving and lack of controls are roots of distracted driving and can be reduced if not avoided.

The strategies below can be helpful tools for your team to reduce distractions while driving.

Improve workplace condition of the drivers -  a stressed out person cannot work well, more so if they are operating heavy machinery. Cognitive distractions while driving can be reduced in the administrative side.  Simply asking the team, "Are you fit to drive today?" before assigning work is a quick and easy task that is often overlooked. If the driver is not rushing, following a reasonable schedule, able to rest and sleeps well in between drives and can focus on the road because of a clear mind, road accidents because of cognitive distractions can be reduced.

In the interest of improving mental health of workers, you can also conduct safety discussions to check how people think, feel, and manage their emotions. There is a sample mental health safety moment form made using Dashpivot that you can utilise and customise for your team, and reduce distractions while driving.

Implement firm polices for phone use - messaging, audio/video calling, watching videos and even listening and singing along using the phone are one of the major visual and manual distractions while driving. While phones have significantly improved the communication in the workplace like to quickly track status of deliveries, be in contact with the company while on the road and use as a source of entertainment to wake up during long drives - it should have strict usage protocol to reduce the distraction. It should also not be expected of the drivers to respond right away when driving.

Implement a Safe Driving Program - these are initiatives promoted by NETS, NHTSA and OSHA to reduce motor vehicle-related deaths and injuries in the workforce.  While these are not mandates, the program can be added in the management system to act as guidelines to reduce work-related driving accidents.

Train drivers on distraction prevention strategies - consistent training to drivers. This is an effective way for drivers who have been complacent and overconfident already in driving because of years of experience and thereby bypassing certain practical steps to manage distractions. This can include training drivers  to avoid multitasking while on the road, stopping before answering important calls or messages, informing them of the time allowance for resting before arrive in the case of long drives.

Hold Toolbox Talks daily - Toolbox Talks are brief safety 10-15 min conversations done daily before work starts. It enables the supervisor to remind the workers using the guide found in the Talk. Toolbox talks on safety driving can include reminders on distracted driving, safety tips to avoid distraction, rules on communication while driving i.e phone policies, and converse with drivers for any concerns or safety issues need to be raise. According to Dr. Gabriel B. Dadi, Toolbox talks can increase highway workers’ safety awareness, improve their hazards identification skills, and increase their safe behavior with 22% improvement in workers safety knowledge, 23% improvement in workers hazards identification skills, and 33.24% increase in the likelihood of safe behavior.

Below is an example Toolbox Talk form for Distracted Driving as well as a generic toolbox talk template here. These are created using Dashpivot a cloud-based project management software. It is completely customisable, it has all the essential sections and has a portion for attendance record. Attendance Record using this form is quick and simple, it features scanning the Sitemate App ID so the worker can quickly get on with their day.

Also, all of your completed toolbox talks are automatically stored and organised online, where you can easily find them, edit them or convert them into a professionally formatted PDF document for compliance of safety audits.