In the past, it was part of the job for workers to communicate using handheld devices while driving. But things have changed – and people are now fined for distracted driving. If the worker has an accident, and the employer knew (or even encouraged) the use of handheld devices, the employer can also be held at fault. On average, according to WorkSafeBC, 30 workers a year are killed in motor vehicle incidents. Twenty-five percent of all vehicle crashes (including people who are driving for work and those who are not) are attributed to distracted driving.
I wrote about this in my post Ensure distraction takes a back seat to driving. And now I’m raising the issue again because it’s a warning that bears repeating.
Here’s a link to this new video from WorkSafeBC that describes how employers can support the safety of their driving workers. It’s one of 150+ videos on WorkSafeBC’s Safety Videos App. Find more information on the Distracted Driving page on the WorkSafeBC website.
