Tech Totals Company Vehicle While Texting

not quite, but I did have one tech who's son backed his brand new truck into our van...

We were running late one morning, so I neglected to secure a big box of mud rings in the back. My brother was driving, and he took a turn too fast, causing the mud ring box to fall over with a loud crash. He whips his head around to look, while still going to fast. Hits a parked car with enough force to drive it all the way up onto the lawn. 

My dad called us both idiots, but did not fire us. The cops had a good laugh, though. 

I'm still a little salty about it, because it was my van! RIP in peace, 95 Ford Aerostar, the best service vehicle I ever owned. 

We have a policy of zero use of cell phones or handheld devices while driving.  No exceptions, no exclusions. If you must answer the phone while driving or text or email you are required to pull over and stop. 

Last year, I saw a Simplex tech driving a Simplex van for over a mile and the whole time he had his head down texting.

Back when I was still quite 'impressive' myself, I would regularly pretend to be asleep at the wheel when being passed by another motorist.  

Breaks up the monotony on long trips.

I had a company car when I worked at Panasonic, which was sweet.  Texting or talking without hands free was a fireable offense.  Everyone's car had bluetooth, no excuses.

Fortunately we have never had anything like that happen.

You may not be able to require them to pay for damages but they can agree to pay for it.  In our State you can do deductions from pay for damage, breakage, shortage or negligence but the deduction must be authorized by the employee at the time of deduction.

It's important to consider the employer's expectation; and I think it is true for both texting and viewing on-screen navigation.

If the employer has a zero tolerance policy, are they willing to wait until the employee exits the freeway before they respond, especially if there is heavy traffic that could delay their ability to stop? Are they willing to allow the employee the time to do so and give them that leeway in their travel time between clients? Are they willing to allow the employee the time to make up for missed turn-offs, etc. if they cannot check navigation?

I am aware of some employers who have a zero tolerance policy in writing but give tacit approval to text and navigate through their expectations for prompt text replies and tight travel timeframes. But if there is a collision, they invoke their right to terminate as written in the policy.

I don't understand why texting while driving is such a problem. My car has a carplay system that I can voice the person's name that I want to text and speak the text message. Then it repeats what I said and asks me: "Would you like to send this message?" Glad to see the auto makers are doing more to prevent texting while driving.

If you are an iphone user you can also do the same with Siri: create new text, send text, have new inbound text read to you - all with voice commands.

Not as bad as crashing a company vehicle, but close...I made the mistake of sending a text to my wife with a friend in the car recently: "Hey Siri, send a new text message to Soulmate."

Well if your ever Hit by a car or Stopped at a lite that never moves or almost run off the road by a car that is texting then you understand why.

Distraction, Lack of Attention, No able to make sound Judgement due to distraction. 

Accountability for ones own actions and how they affect others 

That is Why. 

Most Try to make lite of their actions as though it is no big thing. 

But you cannot take back the damage done. 

and the insurance, vehicle, manpower cost to your company . 

I see it on the roads like none other. Matter of time for the fool and his or her phone. 

I work for Zero tolerance company's who would fire me, and any other in a moment for violations. 

Not minimizing that my insurance has language in place to not pay under certain conditions or violations of law . 

I have had to do emergency code changes for quick fires or release's

Most have well documented company policy's in place to do this action. 

And with (at will ) policy's in place you cannot afford to risk your lively hood or future. 

Better to just pull over , pull off the road, take a minute to rest, relax and get it off your mind. 

this is an area , you would hate to loose good technicians from.