Distracted Driving Can Kill

Distracted driving is an epidemic that claimed 3,308 lives in 2022 and annually accounts for roughly 9 percent of fatal vehicle collisions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). And if you have employees who operate a company’s vehicles under its DOT number, this is a risk you can’t ignore. 

A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) study found that drivers who text behind the wheel are a staggering 23.2 times more likely to be involved in an accident than their non-distracted counterparts.

To put the danger of distracted driving into perspective, consider this: at 60 miles per hour, a driver who glances at their phone to read a text for just seven seconds will travel more than 600 feet – or over two football fields – without looking up. Even very brief distractions, like reading a billboard for 1.5 seconds, can result in traveling over 130 feet without paying full attention to the road.

Educating employees who operate company vehicles on the hazards of driving distracted is a first step. But if education were enough, people would quit smoking or other unhealthy habits without interventions. Dash camera-driven coaching and safety policies are highly effective countermeasures that can eliminate distracted driving crashes.

What is distracted driving?

Distracted driving happens when a driver engages in any activity that takes their eyes and mind off the road. This encompasses three categories: visual (taking eyes off the road), manual (removing hands from the wheel) and cognitive (mind not focused on driving). Using a mobile device while driving involves all three types of distraction, making it particularly dangerous.

Below are two effective countermeasures to avoid crashes due to distracted driving.

1.    Use dash cam-driven coaching

Dash cameras powered by artificial intelligence (AI) can detect when a driver’s attention is away from the roadway or diminished due to fatigue. Triggered video clips of distracted driving events can be used for coaching to eliminate these dangerous behaviors while behind the wheel. A road- and driver-facing camera can detect events requiring corrective action, including:

• Unintended lane departures
• Hard-brake events
• Following too close
• Handheld cellphone use
• Adjusting the radio
• Excessive drowsiness
• Eyes off the roadway

To support the case for investing in AI-powered dash cams, additional compelling statistics include:

• A 2025 J.  J. Keller Center for Market Insights study found that 24 percent of respondents deemed “How to avoid distracted driving” to be the most important driver skill or behavior to improve.
• An FMCSA study found that commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers who text while driving are 23.2 times more likely to be involved in an accident than those not driving distracted.
• The use of handheld electronic devices for CMV drivers carries maximum fines of $2,750 for drivers and up to $11,000 for carriers. Also, a CMV driver will be suspended from CMV driving for 60 days if they have two handheld electronic device offenses in three years.

2.    Implement a Safety Policy

Implementing a comprehensive safety policy is an essential step to reducing this risk. These policies should cover pre-trip preparations, communication protocols and the use of camera-driven coaching systems. AI-powered cameras can detect a range of unsafe behaviors, from unintended lane departures to handheld cellphone use. Early detection enables timely intervention and corrective action.

Company safety slogans are hollow promises, unless backed by detecting and correcting all unsafe behavior. Leaders must show by their actions every day, that safety is a value, not a situational priority.

Companies whose employees operate company vehicles should consider this a call to action if they are not already using dash cameras and safety policies to reduce distracted driving crash risks.