You’re juggling deadlines, emails are pinging nonstop, and you have a car full of errands. Or maybe you’re a business owner with a team of drivers out on the highway. Suddenly, your phone buzzes. It’s that urgent work message you’ve been waiting for since breakfast. Do you check it?

Every day across America, people make that tiny and seemingly harmless choice. And every day, it ends careers, costs companies millions, and far worse, changes lives forever.

Why Should Business Owners Care?

Distracted driving isn’t just a problem for teenagers with Snapchats open in the car. It’s steadily making its way into the workforce. While specific data on workplace messaging while driving isn’t precisely reported, distracted driving overall remains a widespread and serious risk for all drivers.

More Than Numbers. Real People, Real Consequences

Let’s put it into real-world perspective. Imagine one of your most reliable employees, running late for a client meeting. She decides to respond to a quick workplace text at a red light, and in those few seconds, everything changes. In 2023, distracted driving claimed 3,275 lives. These weren’t just numbers. They were mothers, sons, coworkers, and neighbors. For businesses, the impact is immediate: legal exposure, damaged reputations, and grief that ripples through entire teams.

Distraction Is an Equal Opportunity Hazard

It’s not just young drivers at risk. While teenagers and young adults are more frequently distracted behind the wheel, in 2023, 7% of drivers aged 15 to 20 involved in fatal crashes were distracted. Drivers aged 21 to 44 followed closely at 6%. Nearly half of all distraction-related fatalities involved people in their prime working years.

And distraction doesn’t only mean texting. Adjusting a playlist, grabbing a coffee, or glancing at GPS directions can turn a routine drive into a tragedy.

The Leadership Moment: Protect People, Protect Your Business

Business owners can’t afford to treat this like just another safety lecture. Addressing distracted driving is a sign of strong leadership and smart risk management. Few companies have formal policies in place, but those that do often see meaningful results, including safer employees, fewer claims, and a culture that values people over convenience.

Four Simple Changes That Save Lives (and Bottom Lines)

• Implement Clear, No-Exception Driving Policies: Spell out your expectations. No phones while driving for work, period.

• Lead From the Top: If leadership texts and drives, everyone else will think it's acceptable. Model the behavior you want to see.

• Leverage Tech Wisely: Let technology support your safety goals. Leverage telemantics with AI to monitor and dissuade distracted driving.

• Make It Personal: Stories are more powerful than statistics. Connect safety to family life, because every employee matters to someone.

Your Legacy Is More Than Profit

At the end of the day, your business is built on people. People with lives, families, and futures. Taking a stand on distracted driving isn’t about checking a box, it’s about protecting the individuals who make your work possible.

One Last Thought

The next time your phone buzzes while you’re behind the wheel, pause. Think about your team, your family, your community. No message is worth risking a life. Choose to wait. Choose to lead. Choose to care.

Sources

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Research Note: Distracted Driving in 2023
  https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/Publication/813703

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Distracted Driving Dangers and Statistics
  https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Put the Phone Away or Pay Campaign
  https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/distracted-driving

• National Safety Council (NSC), Distracted Driving - Injury Facts
  https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/motor-vehicle-safety-issues/distracted-driving/

• Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), Distracted Driving
  http://www.ghsa.org/state-laws-issues/distracted-driving