6 Strategies to Help Reduce Distracted Driving in Your Fleet

Distracted driving claimed 3,275 lives in 2023—about 8 percent of all U.S. traffic deaths. Hundreds of thousands more people were injured in crashes involving distracted drivers.

While texting often gets the attention, distraction takes many forms. Safety experts group it into three categories:

• Visual: taking your eyes off the road

• Manual: taking your hands off the wheel

• Cognitive: taking your mind off driving

Texting is particularly dangerous because it involves all three at once. Sending or reading a single message can keep a driver’s eyes off the road for about five seconds—roughly the length of a football field at highway speed.

Even truck drivers face distraction risks behind the wheel. A 2023 national roadside survey found about 6.4 percent of drivers were using a phone at any given moment, highlighting the everyday risk fleets face.

The good news: fleet leaders can make a real difference with clear expectations, training, and technology.

Here’s how fleet owners and safety managers can lead the change:

1. Publish a zero-distraction policy backed by federal law.
   Be explicit that texting or holding a phone violates 49 CFR 392.82, which forbids CMV drivers (and the motor carriers who employ them) from using hand-held mobile phones while driving. 

2. Deliver recurring defensive-driving training.
   Blend orientation, quarterly refreshers, and ride-along coaching that emphasize scanning ahead, maintaining space, and eliminating in-cab distractions. Short, scenario-based modules keep the message fresh and actionable.

3. Enable technology that limits phone access while moving.
   Most smartphones and ELDs offer “Do Not Disturb While Driving” or motion-lock settings. Requiring these features above 5 mph removes the temptation to swipe or text.

4. Lock all in-cab screens above walking speed.
   Configure GPS, dispatch tablets, and infotainment systems so touch input is disabled once the wheels turn. Allow voice commands or steering-wheel buttons only when safe.

5. Schedule healthy, purposeful stops.
   Encourage drivers to eat, hydrate, and answer messages during planned breaks. Removing the need for “one-handed” meals or quick phone checks tackles two top distraction sources.

6. Reward alert driving—and enforce violations.
   Combine positive incentives (recognition, bonus points, clean-MVR rewards) with firm, documented consequences for any hand-held phone use behind the wheel. Consistency shows you value every employee’s safety as much as on-time delivery.

Distracted driving isn’t just a driver problem—it’s a workplace safety issue. The policies fleets set, the technology they adopt, and the expectations they reinforce all help shape driver behavior on the road.

By combining clear rules, ongoing training, and the right tools, fleet leaders can help reduce distraction risk and help ensure every driver returns home safely at the end of the day.

Sources

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Distracted Driving in 2023

• NHTSA. Distracted Driving safety data and statistics.

• NHTSA / Governors Highway Safety Association summary of distracted-driving statistics.