Cell phone usage and texting have grown to a leading factor in automobile accidents. As of this writing only 9 states have legislated against texting while driving. That means that 41 states have no laws restricting DWT. And that can mean trouble for any business owner.
Any employee who drives on company business can be a liability if they are involved in an accident and it can be shown that they were texting at the time of the accident. Regardless of legislation about DWT, the act of texting while driving could be interpreted as negligence, and could put your assets on the line.
By having a written policy disallowing this practice, you may be able to limit your liability. Consult your HR professionals and legal advisors for more guidance in establishing such a policy.
But even more important, regardless of laws and legal liability, texting while driving can result in injury to your employees and others. The caring approach is to express such concern, model the right behavior, and to have your entire leadership do the same. Every time.
