Mobile phones
are critical to modern business productivity. However, used while
driving, mobile phones pose a serious danger to employees and an
expensive liability to companies.ZoomSafer, released a white paper today documenting the
enormous liability faced by corporate CEOs, risk managers and fleet
managers who fail to implement and adequately enforce employee safe
driving policies.
"Even in states where cell phone safety laws have not yet been enacted,
companies can still be found directly liable if crashes are caused by
distracted employees who were using their mobile phone for work-related
activities"
The paper is available for free by visiting http://www.zoomsafer.com/whitepaper.aspx,
and is part of a continuing campaign to raise awareness among businesses
and consumers regarding ZoomSafer's innovative software solution to help
prevent distracted driving.
According to the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, mobile phone
distractions cause over 1,643 crashes, 904 injuries, and 8 deaths per
day. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration has found on-the-job crashes cost employers over $24,500
per crash, $150,000 per injury, and $3.6 million per fatality.
"Even in states where cell phone safety laws have not yet been enacted,
companies can still be found directly liable if crashes are caused by
distracted employees who were using their mobile phone for work-related
activities," said ZoomSafer Founder and CEO Matt Howard. "Not only are
we challenging companies to develop and implement safe driving policies,
but we're delivering simple and affordable software to help them enforce
policies so they can reduce risk and liability."
ZoomSafer uses GPS in combination with client software installed on
smartphones to automatically determine when an employee is driving. Once
triggered, ZoomSafer locks a phone's keypad and screen and remains
engaged until the user is finished driving and turns the program off.
Among a wide variety of configurable features, ZoomSafer suppresses
inbound texts and emails and can automatically reply on the employee's
behalf informing others that they're driving. Because mobile phones are
critical to personal and business productivity, ZoomSafer seamlessly
integrates the use of hands-free services so users can make and receive
phone calls in a safe
and legal manner.
ZoomSafer is commercially available on BlackBerry devices and in beta
for select Windows Mobile devices. Users can download the software from www.zoomsafer.com
and soon from the BlackBerry App World and Handmark mobile application
stores. ZoomSafer will be available for Android phones in early 2010.