Working Together to Raise Distracted Driving Awareness: Driving Safely in a Connected World

Driving is a complex task that requires full attention, quick reflexes, and the ability to make instant decisions. However, the increasing presence of technology in our daily lives and in our vehicles has introduced distractions that can take our focus away from the road. Geotab is committed to raising awareness of the dangers of distracted driving and promoting safer road habits for all.

About 4 million crashes involve distracted driving each year in North America. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,142 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2019. These numbers are not just statistics; they represent families, friends, and community members whose lives may have been spared had the distraction been put aside. Tom Walli and Ted Chen know this tragedy all too well and share their stories below. 

Eyes on the road

At Geotab, we believe that road safety is a shared responsibility. As we continue to develop cutting-edge telematics solutions designed to increase efficiency and enhance vehicle and driver safety, we also emphasize the importance of mindful driving and creating partnerships to tackle this challenge together. 

LifeSaver Mobile, a Premier partner on the Geotab Marketplace, shares our commitment to road safety and has developed a commercial driver safety solution that prevents driver phone distraction and reduces speeding - two of the most significant risk factors for auto collisions. Ted Chen, CEO of LifeSaver Mobile, is passionate about driving safety and eliminating driver distraction. 

When their teenage sons learned to drive, Ted and his co-founder, Mike Demele, were concerned about keeping them off their phones while driving. This generation was raised with phones in their hands, and eliminating that distraction while driving was a serious concern. That’s why they started LifeSaver Mobile.

In their early days, their determination to solve distracted driving was strengthened and inspired by the stories of remarkable people like their friend Jacy Good, who became one of the leading speakers on safe driving after she tragically lost her parents and almost her own life because of a distracted driver.

The human addiction to checking the endless notifications from our phones has created a deadly epidemic on our roadways and an unprecedented crisis in driver safety. Over a decade after starting LifeSaver Mobile, auto insurers and fleet safety experts agree that distraction from mobile devices causes over 50% of all vehicle crashes.

Legislation, awareness and education can all help with the distracted driving epidemic, but most people need help ignoring their phones behind the wheel. Commercial drivers are no different, and that’s why companies need to consider solutions like LifeSaver Mobile to improve employee safety and reduce fleet collisions and fleet insurance costs.

Funding the leaders of tomorrow

The Brandon Walli "Phones Down, Eyes Up" Memorial Scholarship was established in memory of Brandon Walli, who tragically lost his life at age 23 while crossing the road in 2016. Brandon and his father, Tom Walli, a long-time Geotab employee, both had a passion for music, and this scholarship was established to spread joy to the lives of others through music and the arts. 

“I was probably one of the worst offenders of distracted driving and walking myself. Unfortunately it's taken something like this happening to my family for me to realize how important it is. You don’t think it will happen to you until it does. I hope nobody ever has to experience the loss of a family member or loved one due to distracted driving or walking. It takes all of us to commit to being present while driving to create safer roads” 

- Tom Walli

The scholarship is for high school students graduating in 2024 who focus on Arts, Creative Arts, or Music in their post-secondary studies. 

LifeSaver Mobile is on the same mission and has generously offered to contribute to Geotab’s scholarships this year! We are pleased to announce that we will award not three but four $2,500 scholarships this year. Thank you, LifeSaver Mobile, for your contribution!

Apply here before May 19, 2024 

Paving the way for a safer future

As a society, we are more connected than ever, and while this connectedness has countless benefits, it has also introduced new risks on the road. It is our mission at Geotab to not only create solutions that enable businesses to thrive through data insights but also to forge a path toward a future where road safety is not compromised by the devices we have come to rely on.

During Distracted Driving Awareness Month and beyond, let's all commit to setting aside distractions and focusing on the journey ahead. Let's work together as drivers, fleet managers, and a community, to keep our roads safe for everyone.