Driving Workers Distracted By Keeping Connected To Employers

Workers whose job puts them behind the wheel feel pressured to stay connected during the workday despite distracted driving raising the risk of an accident, according to data from several surveys released last week.

Experts weighing in say company culture needs to shift, despite the prevalence of distracted driving policies on paper.

‘Sixty-eight percent (of companies) have policies. However, when we ask individuals, people who may work with these same companies, we find that only a quarter know there is a policy,’ said Chris Hayes, Hartford, Connecticut-based assistant vice president risk control for workers compensation and transportation at Travelers Cos. Inc., which released its Travelers Risk Index on distracted driving on March 30.

That data, culled from two separate surveys of 1,000 individuals and 1,000 executives, suggests that work-related pressure might lead to distracted driving.