Having a mobile phone in your car makes it easier to contact emergency services when necessary and assists breakdown recovery. However, using a mobile phone while driving can distract drivers and increase the risk of accidents.
Governments in several countries where we operate have made it illegal to use handheld phones when driving. New research shows that physical distraction (looking away from the road and taking hands off the wheel) is not the only safety hazard caused by using a mobile phone while driving. Mental distraction can also cause accidents. This is especially true for longer and more complex calls.
We support national legislation to promote safe use of mobile phones to drivers.
Advice for drivers
Although Vodafone cannot ensure all drivers behave safely, we aim to raise safety awareness by providing guidance to employees and customers on using mobile phones while driving. All our local operating companies have a policy to address the issue and their chief executives are responsible for implementing this policy.
Our operating companies provide information to customers to raise awareness of driver safety and mobiles. See leaflets from:
Drive safe!
We advise people to:
- Never use a handheld mobile phone while driving
- Stop in a safe place to take or make a call
- Use a hands-free kit
- Ask a passenger to dial or answer the phone
- Avoid stressful calls – call back when the car is safely parked
- If in doubt, switch off the phone altogether.
Employee driving safety
Using a mobile phone safely while driving is an important health and safety issue for our employees.
We introduced a safe driving toolkit in 2007/08 and published an employee brochure, 'Are you hands-free?'. The brochure confirms our commitment to ensuring our employees drive safely, and presents the key messages of our Group policy on mobile phones and driving. In it, we outline our safe driving rules of the road and provide managers with tips on how to encourage their team to drive safely. The brochure also details the disciplinary measures that will be taken against employees using mobiles unsafely while driving.
Our Group policy on mobile phones and driving requires that:
- Employees must never use a hand-held mobile phone whilst driving for voice conversation, text messaging or any other purpose
- Employees should only use a hands-free mobile phone when it is safe to do so
- All Company vehicles must be fitted with a hands-free kit
- All employees who do not have a Company car but have been issued with a mobile phone for business use are to be provided with a personal hands-free kit
- Employees driving a vehicle on Company business must sign a declaration confirming that they understand and will comply with the Company policy
- Employees face disciplinary action if they use a mobile phone whilst driving in the course of their employment
- Employees are not expected to take calls while driving. They can switch their phone to voicemail.