Quiet, Please
Guess who's responsible when employees irresponsibly mix cell phone and vehicle use?
Your hotshot salesperson may boast of sealing deals on a
handheld cell phone while zipping along the highway. But if he or
she causes a crash due to driving while distracted, you could lose
a chunk of capital if a court holds you responsible for the
accident.
Employer liability for workers involved in cell-phone-related
car accidents while on company business isn't confined to the
workweek. According to a Runzheimer survey, 74 percent of
businesses allow employees personal use of fleet vehicles. So even
if a fender-bender occurs during downtime, "you could be held
responsible for negligent supervision or negligent implementation
of policies," warns Joseph Martan, staff counsel for the
Liability Insurance Research Bureau, who adds that more and more
states are considering banning the use of handheld cell phones
while driving.
What to do? The National Highway
Traffic and Safety Administration advises you to:
Content Continues Below
Establish policies regarding such things as who has access to cell
phones and how they are to be operated.
Identify costs. Compare what your company pays out for workers'
compensation, plus potential costs for medical care, rehab and
property damage, with the cost of installing hands-free headsets in
company cars and implementing other safety measures.
Consult your attorney as well as your insurance agent to add
necessary clauses to your company auto insurance policy.
Jill Amadio has reported on the automotive industry for 23
years as an editor and consultant.
Contact Sources