Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Pressures to Stay Connected Help Fuel Distracted Driving

A recent online survey finds that 43% of employees who drive engage in work-related calls, texts and emails while behind the wheel.

by Staff
November 9, 2017
Pressures to Stay Connected Help Fuel Distracted Driving

Photo by Intel Free Press via Wikimedia Commons.

2 min to read


Photo by Intel Free Press via Wikimedia Commons.

Job pressures to stay reachable to supervisors, clients and coworkers are contributing to the distracted driving epidemic, a recent poll indicates, with 43% of employees who drive admitting they answer or initiate work-related communications while behind the wheel.

Harris Poll conducted the online survey, which the Travelers Companies insurance firm commissioned. More than 1,000 workers participated in the poll Sept. 12-14. Work-related communications while driving include making and answering phone calls, reading and sending texts, and reading and sending emails.

Ad Loading...

A total of 38% of employees surveyed indicated they feel the need to always be available for work-related inquiries and discussions. The same survey found that Generation X employees (ages 35-44) are just as likely as millennial employees (ages 18-34) to answer or make work-related communications while driving. With both age groups, a little more than half (54%) admitted to doing this, according to Travelers.

Travelers on Nov. 6 launched a national initiative aimed at better informing the public about the risks that distracted driving poses and finding ways to make distracted driving less socially acceptable.

“The National Safety Council reported more than 40,000 traffic fatalities in 2016,” said Joan Woodward, executive vice president of public policy and president of the Travelers Institute. “Distracted driving is a contributing factor and it’s a problem that won’t go away without understanding its causes and promoting safe behavior. Whether drivers are texting, eating or talking on the phone — taking their eyes off the road for even one second can cause a potentially life-changing crash.”

More Safety

An image to reflect an article on how the safest fleets aren't the ones with the most tech.
SafetyAugust 11, 2026

The Safest Fleets Aren’t the Ones with the Most Technology

You’ve made the telematics investment. Here’s how to capture the other half of its value and build the safest fleet on the road.

Read More →
Cover of the AgileFleet white paper "Hidden in Plain Sight: Fleet Compliance Risks" with the AgileFleet logo and a photo of fleet vehicles parked outside a government building.
SponsoredAugust 7, 2026

Hidden in Plain Sight: Fleet Compliance Risks

Fleet compliance isn't just about having policies — it's about consistently enforcing them. This practical guide reveals six hidden compliance risks common in public sector and shared fleet operations and outlines proven strategies to improve visibility, accountability, and audit readiness

Read More →
conference attendees watching a speaker
Safetyby StaffAugust 6, 2026

NETS Sets 2026 Fleet Safety Benchmark Conference for Indianapolis

The Sept. 15–17 program will feature fleet benchmarking data, case studies, emerging technologies, and implementation strategies while running alongside the NSC Safety Congress & Expo.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
NETS crash statistics overlaying an accident photo
Safetyby Chris BrownAugust 5, 2026

Off-the-Job Crashes Account for 43% of Employers’ $61.7 Billion Crash Burden

NETS quantifies costs dispersed across fleet, risk, HR, and other departments while providing new per-crash benchmarks for employers.

Read More →
red ram recall image
Safetyby Faith HowellAugust 3, 2026

Ram Recalls More Than 1.27 Million 1500 Pickups for Seat Belt Anchor Issue

The recall affects certain 2019-2026 Ram 1500 pickups that may have improperly attached second-row seat belt buckle anchors.

Read More →
Promotional graphic for a Utilimarc guide titled How Better Visibility Cut Speeding Violations by 48% featuring a call-to-action to download the guide.
SponsoredJuly 17, 2026

How Better Visibility Cut Speeding Violations by 48%

Fleet leaders don't need more data, they need clearer visibility into what the data is saying. This case study explores how one utility replaced speeding-event counts with a single metric — miles driven in violation — to strengthen safety and significantly reduce speeding violations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Smiling commercial truck driver gives a thumbs-up from inside a tractor cab during Operation Safe Driver Week 2026, highlighting fleet safety, responsible driving and enforcement awareness.
Safetyby Judie NuskeyJuly 16, 2026

Operation Safe Driver Week: Why the Industry's Oldest Safety Campaign Still Matters to Fleets

A look at how a 2007 enforcement initiative became one of the most consequential weeks on the fleet safety calendar, and what it means for your drivers in 2026.

Read More →
Nexar and nauto logos
Safetyby StaffJuly 13, 2026

Nexar-Nauto Merger Aims to Give Fleets Better Safety Intelligence Through Larger Driving Dataset

Stefan Heck tells Automotive Fleet that combining more than 10 billion miles of driving history with Nexar's AI models will give fleets deeper insights into driver risk and roadway conditions than either company could provide independently.

Read More →
A black square with white color font text
SponsoredJuly 2, 2026

From Silos to Solutions: Relationship Management for Safer Fleets

From telematics adoption and driver accountability to policy consistency and risk mitigation, this episode breaks down what it really takes to build a safer fleet culture without slowing business down.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
IIHS HLDI text overlaid on the trunks of pick up trucks.
Safetyby Chris BrownJuly 2, 2026

IIHS Launches First Commercial Vehicle Safety Evaluations

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has begun evaluating heavy-duty pickups and cargo vans for driver protection. Which models earned top marks?

Read More →