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Distracted Driving: Keep your Crew Safe

Have you noticed an increase in your commercial auto premiums recently? Commercial auto premiums for surveyors have been increasing anywhere from 5 to 15 percent. Here’s why:

• Catastrophe losses. Floods and hurricanes in the last year have taken a toll on insurance carriers and reinsurance providers. The costs get passed to you in the form of higher premiums.
• More vehicles on the roads. The rebounding economy is good news for workers and businesses, but it also means there are more people on the road, logging more miles. That means more risk for insurance carriers.
• Individual driving records. Driving records of individuals that aren’t quite pristine can raise your rates as well. Encourage your staff take defensive driving if they get a ticket to keep their records clean.
• Astronomical verdicts. Huge verdicts in auto claims settlements drive rates up rapidly.

Yet the number one reason auto rates are increasing is:

• Distracted Driving! According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,450 people lost their lives due to distracted driving in 2016 alone. Sadly, many of these deaths might have been prevented.

While we can’t control severe weather or the need for your field crew to travel, we can control distracted driving. Here are some Dos and Don’ts of distracted driving to discuss with your crews:

Do:

• Drive defensively, and stay aware of other drivers at all times
• Encourage good sleep habits for your team, including using tools like sleep trackers
• Stop at least every two hours for a break. Use this time to eat, set up your music, make necessary calls.
• Turn off or silence phones. If you must make a call, pull over to a  safe location.

Don’t

• Text or talk on a phone while driving EVER. The average text message takes your eyes off the road for five seconds. At 60 mph, you will have traveled about 440 feet without looking at the surroundings.
• Adjust the radio, eat or pick up fallen objects. These age-old distractions still contribute to distracted driving accidents.
• Drive when using medications that can cause drowsiness.

Driving while distracted can be very dangerous and increase the chance of accidents and injury, or even death. Help your workers stay safe by discussing and committing to driving without distractions. Get the right insurance for surveyors by insurance professionals who know your business. Call Gina O’Hara or Cassie Doolittle at ANCO Insurance, (888) 275-2626, ext. 6324 or apply online.