THE Kier Group has rolled out a video to its staff that is hoped to reduce the amount of hands-free phone calls made by professional drivers.
The resource was developed and produced by the group, alongside the Kier Foundation, and Nottingham Trent University, with the project funded by The Road Safety Trust.
Despite being legal, The Road Safety Trust explained that research studies have demonstrated that hands-free calls can be just as distracting as hand-held calls while driving.
As a result, an increasing number of companies are bringing in policies to ban both hand-held and hands-free calls while driving for work – but the organisation warned they face an uphill task in convincing drivers to adhere to such policy.
The project team surveyed over 400 fleet drivers and also undertook focus groups with experts to identify the beliefs people who drive for work have about hands-free calls, with the resultant video then debunking them.
Many believed that, because hands-free is legal it must therefore be safe; hands-free is safe because your hands are on the wheel and eyes are on the road; hands-free is no different to talking to a passenger; driving is ‘dead time’; and that hands-free communication is needed for work.
The video, which was also created in collaboration with Esitu Solutions, was then shown to one group of drivers, whilst another control group were shown a road safety video unrelated to phone use.
Analysis demonstrated ‘clear improvements’ in safety-related attitudes regarding mobile use whilst driving in the group which watched the video when compared to the control group.
When asked directly whether the ‘myth-busting’ video had changed their understanding of the dangers of mobile phones, 95% said that their knowledge of the dangers of mobile phone use had increased, while 80% said that they would limit or completely avoid hands-free mobile phone use while driving in the future.
Ray Webb, group senior insurance claims manager at Kier Group, said, “The safety of our people is our most important duty – whether this is on site or while travelling – and Kier has had a policy in place on hands-free phones for a number of years.
“This work with the Road Safety Trust and Nottingham Trent University will help to educate and protect everyone on the roads about the dangers of hands-free calls.”
Professor David Crundall, of Nottingham Trent University, added, “We’ve known about the dangers of hands-free phones for decades, but the message has just not got through.
“Now, through our work with Kier, we have demonstrated that it is possible to present the evidence in such a way as to change drivers’ attitudes to hands-free use.
“Our next challenge is to make sure as many drivers as possible are exposed to this message.”
Ruth Purdie OBE, chief executive of The Road Safety Trust, commented, “Despite its legality, it is well understood that the use of hands-free mobile phones is a danger to drivers.
“As a result, this resource can play a key role in helping organisations to keep their drivers safe on the roads, such is their responsibility. We encourage them to make use of it.”
