Driver distraction remains one of the most stubborn and dangerous issues in commercial trucking. Despite public awareness campaigns and tougher enforcement, distractions behind the wheel continue to contribute to serious crashes, injuries, and fatalities each year. For fleet managers and safety officers, the challenge is twofold: reduce distractions without sacrificing operational efficiency, and ensure drivers remain focused throughout the day.
At PrePass Alliance, we believe that the right use of technology can support safer driving and smarter compliance. PrePass helps reduce the cognitive burden on drivers by eliminating unnecessary interruptions, streamlining in-cab alerts, and ensuring legal weigh station bypass—all of which play a role in helping drivers stay focused on the road.
The Scope of the Problem
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) consistently identifies distraction and inattention as major factors in crashes involving large trucks. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 3,500 lives were lost in distracted driving incidents in 2023, with a growing share linked to commercial vehicles.
Common sources of distraction for truck drivers include:
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Mobile devices and texting
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Interactions with in-cab navigation or dispatch tools
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Adjusting ELDs or other compliance technology while driving
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Cognitive fatigue or information overload
These distractions not only increase crash risk but also create liability exposure for carriers and compliance challenges during inspections or post-incident investigations.
How PrePass Helps Minimize Driver Distraction
While many distractions originate inside the cab, external interruptions also contribute. Frequent stops at weigh stations, redundant inspections, and unpredictable enforcement slow down drivers and increase stress, which can lead to mistakes and divided attention.
PrePass addresses these challenges in the following ways:
Legal Weigh Station Bypass
PrePass allows qualified carriers to legally bypass weigh stations based on their safety and compliance records. This reduces the number of stops drivers must make, allowing them to maintain a steady workflow with fewer interruptions. Reduced stop-and-go activity helps drivers remain focused, lowers fatigue, and minimizes the chance of distraction-induced incidents.
Streamlined In-Cab Alerts
PrePass technology delivers simple, non-intrusive notifications to drivers. Whether through a transponder or the PrePass app, messages are designed to be clear and brief, avoiding the confusion or multi-step prompts that can pull attention away from the road.
Hands-Free Operation
PrePass operates passively, meaning drivers do not need to interact with the system while driving. This aligns with FMCSA guidelines prohibiting handheld device use and supports a safer, compliant driving environment.
Enhancing Fleet Oversight and Coaching
PrePass also supports fleet safety goals by offering data tools that identify potential risk areas. Safety managers can track:
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Inspection and bypass data
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Safety score trends
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High-risk behavior patterns that could indicate distraction
These insights allow fleets to deliver targeted coaching and reinforce best practices before issues become violations—or worse, crashes.
Compliance and Enforcement Trends
Enforcement agencies are increasingly focused on distracted driving. FMCSA regulations now prohibit texting and handheld phone use for commercial drivers, while many states enforce strict penalties for distracted driving, including license suspensions and steep fines.
Carriers that can demonstrate a proactive approach to safety—through tools like PrePass and documented coaching programs—are better positioned during audits, roadside inspections, and legal reviews.
The Bottom Line
Driver distraction is not a new problem, but it is a growing one. With the expansion of in-cab technology and constant regulatory demands, commercial drivers face increasing mental load behind the wheel. Fleets must respond with tools that reduce that load, not add to it.
PrePass provides a powerful solution: fewer stops, streamlined communication, and a passive system that lets drivers concentrate on driving. By using PrePass, fleets can help their drivers stay alert, compliant, and safe—trip after trip.
Learn more about how PrePass supports safe and efficient operations at PrePassAlliance.org.