Using a smartphone when driving makes you four times more likely to have a collision. Despite this, illegal mobile device usage is surging, particularly among younger drivers. This represents a huge and growing risk to logistics operations that have a responsibility to safeguard their drivers, business, and other road users.
Mobile phone driving laws
On the UK road network, it is illegal to hold and use a mobile phone or any handheld device while driving. The penalties for being caught include a £200 fine and 6 points on your license – with professional drivers fined up to £2,500 – while new HGV drivers face having their license revoked if within two years of passing their test.
HGV drivers caught using their mobile twice will face a Magistrates Court summons, as well as being referred to the Traffic Commissioner that could result in their professional licence being suspended or revoked. Operator licence holders may also face action from a Traffic Commissioner, if a driver is found to have used a handheld device behind the wheel to speak to their employer or customers.
Businesses also have a duty of care to ensure they are meeting health and safety standards across their fleet operation and could be held liable in the event of a collision involving one of their vehicles. The result of non-compliance can be significant, with potential fines representing at least 20% of turnover and even a custodial sentence for those in charge. A business must also consider other implications including increased insurance costs, staff shortages due to banned drivers, and reputational damage.
The scale of the problem
Tougher laws have so far failed to provide an adequate deterrent, with a 93% year-on-year increase in drivers caught using a mobile device. Mobile device distraction is believed to contribute to as many as 40% of vehicle collisions, but still a significant proportion of drivers openly admit to using their smartphones behind the wheel. Worryingly, a quarter of all drivers have claimed to make or receive voice calls illegally while driving, a figure which rises to 49% of those aged 17 to 24. Worse still, almost a third of under-25s have admitted to video calling while driving.
Recent research from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has suggested that van drivers are particularly prone to illegal mobile device usage, with almost three in five admitting to physically checking their phone while driving. Meanwhile, a study from the Department for Transport (DfT) found that van drivers are over twice as likely to use a mobile device behind the wheel, when compared to drivers of other types of vehicles.
The human cost of mobile phone distraction can also not be overlooked, with multiple high-profile incidents in the past few years involving HGVs that have resulted in a tragic loss of life and lengthy jail sentences for those drivers involved. This suggests that some HGV drivers are willing to flout mobile phone laws, regardless of the consequences, so logistics operations need to consider new ways to combat illegal usage.
Fleet technology solutions
Telematics has evolved in recent years to better target driver behaviour and fleet risk, such as distracted driving, although this typically focuses on gaining insights after the incident and taking corrective action. Monitoring harsh driving events can effectively identify underlying issues, while driver-facing cameras can determine if a mobile device was in use during a near miss or collision. More recently, AI cameras have been introduced to identify and address distracted driving as it happens, however, there have been some concerns amongst drivers around privacy as well as the frequency of false positives, which can become an added distraction.
Emerging blocking technology – capable of preventing unauthorised access to smartphone apps and notifications while driving – is expected to be one of the next breakthrough technologies in the fight against mobile phone distraction. When the vehicle is in motion, this type of tool can automatically restrict encrypted messaging tools, the camera and other popular apps, and even prevent drivers using their smartphone when in stationary traffic. It can also possess crash detection functionality, meaning a notification can be sent to the driver to verify if a collision has occurred and check on their welfare.
There is also huge potential for SAAS-based mobile blocking technology combined with complementary systems, such as fleet and video telematics, to provide added choice and safety features within the marketplace. It removes the need for a separate Bluetooth beacon – removing the need for additional hardware or installation costs – while delivering added road safety, driver welfare, risk reduction and insurance benefits.
Logistics operators need to take away the temptation for commercial fleet drivers to take their eyes off the road and discourage illegal device usage. By removing distraction, fostering improved concentration and promoting a responsible driving attitude, it becomes possible to prevent many avoidable road injuries and deaths, while enhancing overall driver and fleet performance.