As a Kansas City Injury attorney, I believe that employers and the larger community have a great role to play in preventing motorists from using cell phones while driving. A new survey by the National Safety Council confirms that across the country, many employers are in fact taking their responsibilities towards their employees and other motorists seriously.
The survey shows that one out of every five Fortune 500 companies have policies in place banning the use of cell phones while driving for all employees. The survey also indicates that much of the progress has been since 2008.
The National Safety Council has been one of the leading organizations on calling for employers to implement strict “no-cell phone use while driving” policies in the workplace. Approximately 40% of employers who have such policies in the workplace found no negative affect on productivity after the cell phone ban came into effect. In fact, some of them actually found an increase in productivity. More than 50% of the employers were not able to confirm that there was any impact on productivity as a result of the ban.
Having a “no cell phone use while driving” policy in the workplace doesn’t just promote employee safety, but also cushions employers against liability in the event of an accident. Kansas City employers must be aware that if their employees are involved in a cell phone-related accident while they are driving a company-issued car, using a company-issued phone, during work hours, outside work hours, on their way to work, or on their way to a work-related appointment, they could also be held liable for any injuries or damages that result from the accident.
