new company policy. no phonecalls whilst driving
Discussion
Big national company, about 8000 company vehicles, all fitted with handsfree kits. From today even taking hands free is against company policy if you're on the move. It's been decieded on the grounds of elf n safety. I spend about an hour a day making calls on the move, the managers even more. As all vehicles are fitted with the latest Trackers, and we all have company phones, it's easy to check up whether everyone's complying. It'll take some getting used to, having to pull everytime the phone rings. Any other companies have this policy ?
If you are the one making the calls, and the restriction is costing you, just get another personal phone on a good contract and use that one. You could also redirect incoming calls to the company phone to the personal one...unless they have a way of tracking that.
Personally, I would just do as they ask. It's their car, their phone and their money paying your salary.
Personally, I would just do as they ask. It's their car, their phone and their money paying your salary.
vonhosen said:
I'd imagine it's insurers insisting for cover. They'll be basing it on the collisions/injuries at work & the research that shows cognitive distraction is the same whether the call is hands free or hand held.
That doesn't surprise me. I once looked in my mirror whilst talking hands free and saw a police car flashing me. I pulled over and he told me he'd been flashing for about a minute. Apparently as I crossed a mini-roundabout I glanced his way and he saw my mouth moving and thought I was having a go at him!! He let me go without so much as a bad word when he knew I was hands-free. I felt a bit stupid that I hadn't noticed him to be honest..We had a recent change of car policy (a few companies in the same group harmonising) and this was in ours too - "Employees must not make or accept any calls whilst driving". Which I'm quite happy with, I can do with some peace and quiet when travelling about.
I believe it's mostly driven by recent Corporate Manslaughter legislation, which can hold the company at least partly accountable if an employee dies in service. If someone died in a car accident, they were shown to be distracted by a call at the time, and the company did not discourage (or even encouraged, as we did - paid for bluetooth kits to be fitted, etc) talking on the phone while driving then they could be prosecuted. The law allows for pretty hefty fines - the first case went through this summer and firm was fined slightly more than their annual turnover.
I believe it's mostly driven by recent Corporate Manslaughter legislation, which can hold the company at least partly accountable if an employee dies in service. If someone died in a car accident, they were shown to be distracted by a call at the time, and the company did not discourage (or even encouraged, as we did - paid for bluetooth kits to be fitted, etc) talking on the phone while driving then they could be prosecuted. The law allows for pretty hefty fines - the first case went through this summer and firm was fined slightly more than their annual turnover.
My old workplace started this off around 15 months ago, no PERSONAL mobile phone calls whilst operating any company vehicle, machine etc or whilst on company premises, and this included hands free, however the massive flaw in their rule was, being entirely acceptable to use a COMPANY phone in the above situation.
To me it reeked of s
t, I no longer work for the company, and stupid rules like the above is one of the main reasons
I personally don't see the problem with making/receiving calls on hands free devices, it's within the law, and any accident/near miss I've experienced haven't been phone related
To me it reeked of s
t, I no longer work for the company, and stupid rules like the above is one of the main reasons I personally don't see the problem with making/receiving calls on hands free devices, it's within the law, and any accident/near miss I've experienced haven't been phone related
martin mrt said:
I personally don't see the problem with making/receiving calls on hands free devices, it's within the law, and any accident/near miss I've experienced haven't been phone related
If you can't chat on a hands free phone while driving (or riding) then (IMO of course) I'd question your mental capacity for driving. I'll often yak away for hours if I'm on a long trip - its a good way of catching up with people I've not spoke to in ages. I can do this, adjust controls, drink a can of coke etc and, remarkably, not die!What next? Ban talking to passengers? Ban ICE?
People need to get a bit of perspective.
(these are just my opinions , so can the abuse, before you start)
I work in H&S / compliance for a company that has company cars.
There are a few reasons why companies have adopted this policy;
- Studies have shown that the use of a hands free kit reduces driver concentration (on average, for the average driver etc. etc.)
- Companies want to protect themselves and their employees (both morally and financially)
- Some fleet insurance policies may require this as a prerequisite
- The introduction of the corporate manslaughter act (supposedly) makes it easier to prosecute individual directors in the event of a death related to work activity
- If a company car driver has a crash whilst taking a phone call, the company may be held liable.
Companies don't want their drivers to crash, adopting this policy has been shown to reduce accident rates.
On a personal note, I think it's a shame companies have to go to this length, common sense would dictate that if a driver felt their concentration was disrupted or likely to be disrupted, they wouldn't take the call / end the call.. and such a policy would never need to be implemented!
Whehter such a policy is really needed if a driver is driving on a deserted dual carriage way / motorway is another question..
However we all know that common sense isn't very common, and there are a lot of bad drivers out there!
There are a few reasons why companies have adopted this policy;
- Studies have shown that the use of a hands free kit reduces driver concentration (on average, for the average driver etc. etc.)
- Companies want to protect themselves and their employees (both morally and financially)
- Some fleet insurance policies may require this as a prerequisite
- The introduction of the corporate manslaughter act (supposedly) makes it easier to prosecute individual directors in the event of a death related to work activity
- If a company car driver has a crash whilst taking a phone call, the company may be held liable.
Companies don't want their drivers to crash, adopting this policy has been shown to reduce accident rates.
On a personal note, I think it's a shame companies have to go to this length, common sense would dictate that if a driver felt their concentration was disrupted or likely to be disrupted, they wouldn't take the call / end the call.. and such a policy would never need to be implemented!
Whehter such a policy is really needed if a driver is driving on a deserted dual carriage way / motorway is another question..
However we all know that common sense isn't very common, and there are a lot of bad drivers out there!
Dog Star said:
If you can't chat on a hands free phone while driving (or riding) then (IMO of course) I'd question your mental capacity for driving. I'll often yak away for hours if I'm on a long trip - its a good way of catching up with people I've not spoke to in ages. I can do this, adjust controls, drink a can of coke etc and, remarkably, not die!
What next? Ban talking to passengers? Ban ICE?
People need to get a bit of perspective.
(these are just my opinions , so can the abuse, before you start)
I agree with this..!!What next? Ban talking to passengers? Ban ICE?
People need to get a bit of perspective.
(these are just my opinions , so can the abuse, before you start)
Watchman said:
Dog Star said:
If you can't chat on a hands free phone while driving (or riding) then (IMO of course) I'd question your mental capacity for driving. I'll often yak away for hours if I'm on a long trip - its a good way of catching up with people I've not spoke to in ages. I can do this, adjust controls, drink a can of coke etc and, remarkably, not die!
What next? Ban talking to passengers? Ban ICE?
People need to get a bit of perspective.
(these are just my opinions , so can the abuse, before you start)
I agree with this..!!What next? Ban talking to passengers? Ban ICE?
People need to get a bit of perspective.
(these are just my opinions , so can the abuse, before you start)
XDA said:
Seems his employer is quite anal about H&S. No handsfree phone calls, gps tracker and vans limited to 70mph. Must be unbearable!
My employer is the same, the stupid thing is is that the 70mph limiters are bloody dangerous at times as one of the options of avoiding trouble (speeding up) has been taken away, I now drive mostly at 65mph in traffic, so I guess the limiter has worked 
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