Motor vehicle incident rates for this year are projected to exceed those of last year, and distracted driving is clearly a part of the problem. For this reason, PG&E is moving forward on its proposed policy to ban cell phone use in vehicles. The program is set to be instituted in early 2015.
The cell phone policy is just one aspect of an overall focus by PG&E on driving safety. The company will also be focusing on specific areas such as driver’s license checks, remedial driving training, camera technology and accident root cause analysis.
As a part of the study of cell phone use among employees and the administrations they work under, the company identified that some lines of business have their activities heavily steeped in cell phone use. Many first-line supervisors communicate to their employees through cell phones, especially in dispatch and troubleshooting, and there has to be a means to communicate that will be consistent with the new policy.
–Rich Lane, IBEW 1245 Safety Rep