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MTD September 2015 Business insight Another tip is telling drivers to put phones on total silence when driving. If they hear the phone ring while driving, they will be tempted to answer, the experts note. Creating a policy Te following steps will help prevent accidents caused by cell phone use while on the road — and in the shop. 1. Engage in internal communications. Tell employees that a cell-phone policy is going to be issued. Hold open meetings, show examples from other companies, and get feedback on appropriate penalties. Review distracted driving facts and show that top management supports it. 2. Make safety part of your company's credo. According to a Network of Employers for Trafc Safety (NETS) survey, companies with the lowest crashes per million miles (CPMM) issue monthly reports to their employees, track crashes, have safety-oriented messages throughout company statements and training, issue full bans on cell phones while driving, and share the details of any accident — whether or not it involves an injury — with the entire staf. 3. Plan tracking protocols. How will your company keep track of employee cell-phone use? Tere is cell phone safety sofware on the market to consider. Also, you may want to review call logs for company-issued phones. 4. Write out a policy. Make sure to follow individual state laws. Assess severity of punishment: 83% of companies with low CPMM respond with disciplinary action, not just a warning, according to NETS, which also suggested implementing the strictest option: termination. Once the policy is fnalized, send out an internal press release and a company-wide voicemail. Sample policies can be found at www.nsc.org and www.trafcsafety.org. 5. Build staf buy-in. Having employees sign the policy is a good start, but it's not enough. When introducing policy, use real stories of people who have been killed in distracted driving incidents. Te website www.distraction.gov has videos and keeps track of distracted driving accidents and fatalities. Create and distribute a sheet explaining why the company has decided to implement the policy. Remind employees that signing the policy opens them up to liability as well; if they violate the policy, the company can take legal action against them. 6. Enforce the policy. Afer education and buy-in, stick by your measurement protocols and incentive programs, and keep employees in the loop about results. Gather survey information about individual productivity, especially since the efects are likely to be positive. Other tactics include reminders in company vehicles, such as NSC's "Pull Over and Park" poster, and pocket cards for each employee with a summary of the policy. ■ Joanne Tucker is custom media manager at Bobit Business Media, MTD's parent company, in Torrance, Calif. Lauren Fletcher is managing editor of MTD sister publications Work Truck and Automotive Fleet. Quik-Link: 800-687-1557 ext. 20123 70