April Is Distracted Driving Awareness Month: What NARFA Members Need to Know

If you spend any time on the road, you’ve seen it: the light turns green, the car in front doesn’t move, and the driver is staring down at a phone. For NARFA and AICC members in automotive, roads, fuel, fleet, and related industries, those moments represent real risk to employees, customers, and your business.

The Current Picture: What the Data Say

Distracted driving is still taking lives. NHTSA reports that in 2024, 3,208 people were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers, with an estimated 315,000 people injured. That’s thousands of families permanently changed because someone’s attention drifted from the road.

The problem is particularly pronounced among younger drivers. Federal data and recent campaigns continue to zero in on the 18–34 age group, which is overrepresented in distraction‑related fatal crashes, and drivers 16–24 have the highest rate of manipulating handheld devices while driving. For many NARFA and AICC members, that describes a significant part of the workforce: entry‑level techs, apprentices, and new hires who are often tasked with runs, test drives, and errands.

While early estimates show overall traffic deaths in 2024 have begun to decline, safety experts emphasize that distraction remains a key factor and a stubborn behavior. It hasn’t gone away just because newer vehicles offer more technology; in some cases, those features add more potential distractions.

Why Distracted Driving Is a Direct NARFA Issue

Driving is built into the daily rhythm of NARFA member businesses. Employees:

• Shuttle customer vehicles to and from the shop.
• Road‑test repairs after service.
• Deliver parts and supplies.
• Commute at early hours or late at night after long shifts.

Every time an employee gets behind the wheel, the business takes on exposure. A single distracted driving crash can lead to:

• An injured employee and a workers’ compensation claim.
• A damaged vehicle, including loaners or customer vehicles.
• Missed appointments, delayed jobs, and frustrated customers.
• Pressure on your insurance program, reserves, and long‑term costs.

Many employees also pass through work zones and congested corridors on a daily basis. Work zone data show distraction plays a role in a noteworthy share of serious crashes, and commercial vehicles are frequently involved in these incidents. For an industry that works next to and among traffic, this is not a distant safety issue; it’s right outside your bay doors.

A New Wave of Enforcement and Public Attention

April isn’t just “Distracted Driving Awareness Month” on a calendar. It’s when law enforcement and safety agencies increase their focus on this behavior. NHTSA’s “Put the Phone Away or Pay” campaign continues to drive home the message with national media, digital outreach, and coordinated enforcement.

The emphasis is especially strong on handheld phone use and texting. Campaigns highlight that no text, call, or notification is worth a life, and they specifically target younger drivers who are more likely to use phones behind the wheel.

In New England and across the country, state DOTs and local police departments join in with their own efforts:

• High‑visibility enforcement periods in April.
• Targeted patrols in high‑risk corridors.
• Public messaging about fines and penalties for handheld device use.

For employers, this means your vehicles and your brand are more visible than usual. A distracted driving stop in a marked or branded vehicle doesn’t just result in a ticket; it reflects directly on your business and can become evidence if a crash occurs.

Using April as a Practical Safety Reset

April is a good time to step back and ask: “Do our driving expectations match our actual behavior?” A few focused actions can make a real difference.

1. Modernize Your Distracted Driving Policy

If your driver or vehicle policy hasn’t been updated in the last couple of years, treat it like an overdue service. Make sure it clearly addresses:

• Texting, emailing, and social media use while driving (prohibit it completely).
• Handheld phone calls in moving vehicles.
• Use of “Do Not Disturb While Driving” or similar features.
• Company‑owned vehicles, personal vehicles used for work, and customer vehicles.
• Consequences for violations and how they’re documented.

Tie this policy directly to your safety program and workers’ compensation strategy so employees understand that their choices on the road have real impact on the business and their coworkers.

2. Make Training Specific to Your World

Most employees have heard generic safety messages. What resonates is what feels real. Consider short, targeted conversations built around everyday situations:

• A parts driver glancing at a text on a two‑lane road.
• A tech checking a navigation app while approaching an intersection.
• A late‑night drive home after a long shift, when fatigue and distraction combine.

You don’t need formal classroom training to make an impact. Ten minutes at a weekly meeting, or a quick safety huddle at the start of a shift, can be enough to reinforce expectations and share real examples.

3. Look Beyond Smartphones

Phones get most of the attention, but they’re not the only problem. NHTSA notes that distraction includes anything that takes your eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind off driving. In a NARFA member environment, that can include:

• Reaching for tools, parts, or paperwork while the vehicle is moving.
• Adjusting dashboard screens, GPS, or music systems.
• Looking at tablets or work orders without pulling over.
• Eating on the go between jobs.

Make it plain: if something pulls attention away from driving, it needs to wait until the vehicle is stopped and in park.

4. Focus on Younger and Newer Drivers

The data are clear: younger drivers are more likely to use handheld devices behind the wheel and are overrepresented in distraction‑related crashes. That doesn’t mean they’re reckless by nature; it often means they haven’t had as much coaching, and technology has been part of their lives from the start.

You can help close that gap by:

• Pairing newer or younger drivers with experienced mentors for early ride‑alongs.
• Reviewing safe driving expectations during onboarding, not months later.
• Checking in after the first few weeks on the job specifically about driving habits.

When younger employees see that driving safely is part of being a professional in your shop, not just another rule, they’re more likely to buy in.

5. Lead by Example

Employees pay more attention to what leaders do than what they say. If owners or managers are seen using phones while driving company vehicles, it quietly tells everyone that the policy isn’t serious.

Consider a few simple commitments:

• No calls or texts to employees when you know they’re on the road, unless it’s an emergency.
• Leadership pledges not to use phones while driving company or customer vehicles.
• Positive recognition when employees demonstrate good habits, such as pulling over before returning calls.

Culture doesn’t change overnight. But small, consistent actions from the top go a long way.

Helpful Resources for Your Safety Toolbox

You don’t have to create all your materials from scratch. These resources offer current, credible information you can adapt for your shop or business:

• NHTSA Distracted Driving Overview and Statistics
  National data, definitions, and fact sheets that are easy to share with employees:
  https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving
• “Put the Phone Away or Pay” Campaign and Distracted Driving Awareness Month
  Details on the national enforcement and communication campaign, plus downloadable materials:
  https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/distracted-driving
• NARFA Adverse Weather Driving Safety Guide

         https://narfa.com/adverse-weather-driving-safety-guide/

Bringing It Back to Your Business

For NARFA and AICC members, distracted driving isn’t just a highway safety topic. It affects whether your employees get home safely, whether your vehicles stay on the road, and how your loss experience looks over time.

Using April as a chance to tighten policies, refresh training, and reset expectations is a practical way to protect your people and your business. It doesn’t require a massive program, just consistent attention to the way your team actually drives every day. Please contact us for more resources and to learn more about NARFA and AICC membership.