Mobile Workforce More Prone to Distracted Driving

The vehicle management and reimbursement platform Motus has released its 2018 Distracted Driving Report, which focuses on the mobile workforce. Mobile workers are on the road 49 percent more often than any other type of employee in the U.S., so it’s important that they stay away from distractions. Mississippi motorists will want to know about the conclusions that Motus has reached.

First of all, the report links smartphone ownership with an increase in auto accidents. From 2013 to 2017, smartphone ownership among mobile workers jumped from 55 to 77 percent. In that same time period, the number of auto accidents among them went up from 5.7 million to 6.4 million. This is a 12.3 percent increase.

Furthermore, mobile workers annually drive an average of 1,200 miles while distracted. Phone use is especially common during mobile workers’ morning and evening commutes, but the peak is between 2 pm and pm. Americans in all drove 107 billion miles while distracted by their phones in 2017, so the trend goes beyond mobile workers.

Employers pay about $4,400 per grey fleet driver (a driver who uses a personally owned vehicle for work purposes) whenever there is an accident. Phone distraction costs about $1,680 per driver. On account of accidents, grey fleet drivers missed 1.65 million work days in 2017.

The problem is made even worse when employers face car accident lawsuits from the victims of their employees’ negligence. For their part, victims can have a lawyer evaluate their case. The lawyer could bring in investigators to build up the case and seek the maximum possible recovery.