Zero Cell Phone Use While Driving Policy

By Pamela Fyfe • July 29, 2008 • Ask Rita in HR Email Print

Your employer should enact a "Zero Cell Phone Use While Driving" policy. Such a policy should consider the following elements:

1. Require that employees pull over at the next available safe stop to return a work call.

2. Never initiate a call while the car is moving.

3. Never look up a number or dial information while driving.

4. Ban text messaging while driving.

Such a policy should state that any employee who, on work time, talks on a cell phone while driving will be subject to discipline, regardless of whether the employee has an accident.

If you employer feels that it must maintain instant connectivity with its employees, it could provide all employees with a "hands-free" cell phone device to facilitate safe driving. But the hands-free solution may only slightly diminish the risk of an accident while driving, since focusing on the conversation, especially a stressful one, diverts attention away from driving onto the subject at hand. So if hands-free phones are furnished, in addition to items 2, 3, and 4, the policy should consider:

5. Never use the cell phone in bad weather or heavy traffic.

6. Always keep your eyes on the road, and drop the call if you need to focus on your driving.