Report: Disney bans workers from texting while driving

[sarah91182]

Access Hollywood has reported that Walt Disney Co. issued a companywide memo last week that bans texting by employees while they're driving company vehicles or while driving their own cars on job-related duties. According to the memo quoted by Access Hollywood, failure to comply could lead to disciplinary action, up to and including firing.

You can read more at Access Hollywood (http://www.deadline.com/2010/11/disney-employees-face-termination-over-texting-and-emailing-while-driving/):

EXCLUSIVE: In many states, including California, texting or emailing while driving could get you a fine. If you're a Disney employee, it may also get you fired. That's according to a companywide memo that went out yesterday. The so-called "distracted driving," which involves mostly people using their mobile devices while behind the wheel, is a serious problem that caused 5,474 deaths last year. But a private company enforcing the ban on the use of such devices is a little odd even for Disney, considered to be the most buttoned-down and regulated entertainment conglom. According to the memo, Disney "is enhancing its vehicle safety policy effective immediately." That includes prohibiting Disney employees from sending or reading texts or emails while driving company cars or their private cars while performing duties related to their Disney jobs. "Failure to comply will lead to disciplinary actions up to and including termination," the memo said. While the intention is noble, the bureaucratic way it was handled has raised eyebrows, evoked Big Brother references and has mostly puzzled Disney employees as to how exactly would Disney enforce its new rules. Nevertheless, the new policy may affect business as most people working in the entertainment industry in LA do a lot of work on their blackberrys while driving. With its ban, Disney joins the Obama administration which has prohibited federal employees from texting while driving on government business and banned commercial truck and bus drivers from texting behind the wheel. Thirty states and the District of Columbia prohibit drivers from texting behind the wheel; at least eight states have passed laws barring drivers from using hand-held cell phones.

[Wizzard419]

Here in California while using anything in your hands while driving is against the law, the odds of you getting caught by the CHP or local law enforcment are slim.

That being said, I am sure that most staff won't abide by the rules unless people that complain are watching.

[sarah91182]

People in Florida can't drive as it is, let alone tourists trying to navigate Disney property. At least Disney is trying to be proactive with this ban for their employees that are on the job. Even when I lived in the DC area, people still would mess with their cell phones whether texting/emailing or talking without a hands-free device despite it being illegal. Unless Florida makes it illegal, there will still be one too many people paying more attention to their phone than the road.

Another Update:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/breakingnews/os-disney-bans-texting-20101116,0,2127219.story

The Walt Disney Co. has issued a new policy banning employees from texting while driving on the job.

The ban applies to all of the Burbank, Calif.-based entertainment giant's worldwide employees — including its roughly 60,000 workers at Walt Disney World.

The policy, which recently took effect, also prohibits employees from making or receiving phone calls while driving on the job unless they use a single ear piece. It applies to workers who are either driving company vehicles or using their own vehicles while on the job.

Disney punishments for workers caught violating the driving policy will be decided on case-by-case basis. The policy does not apply to employees during their drives to or from work.

"Safety is the cornerstone of our company and at the heart of all we do. We continuously look for ways to enhance safety across our company … for cast members and guests," Disney spokesman Bryan Malenius said Tuesday. "Encouraging safe driving practices is simply the right thing to do."

Texting while driving is already illegal in 30 states, including California and the District of Columbia, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Eight states, including California and D.C., also prohibit drivers from using handheld cell phones.

But both practices are legal in Florida.

"While there is no law in Florida that prohibits texting while driving, all Walt Disney Parks and Resorts cast members have always been expected to observe safe driving practices while operating any vehicle in performance of their job," Malenius said.

Even before the companywide policy was issued, Disney World employees whose jobs involve transporting guests — including bus drivers and monorail pilots — were already prohibited from texting.

Jason Garcia can be reached at jrgarcia@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5414.

[Wizzard419]

I'm guessing it's more insurance against the inevetable crash like we had with a train engineer texting people who really liked trains.

"As they were operating against company policy we are not responsible for the deaths/injuries sustained when the monorail jumpped off the tracks, drove down international drive, and hit a bus full of make a wish foundation kids".

[jahosifatz]

Isn't this a no brainer?

[kray]

[GrumpyDaddy]

[pugmalion1]

Sorry to interrupt, but we have breaking news out of Disney World, so we're going to send it over to our roving reporter, Greg Cruz, who is on the scene at Epcot. Greg?

Yes, hi, Pug. We have just been told by reliable sources that research scientists working in Disney's Imagineering labs have discovered after almost a year of exhaustive studies that water is wet, and when you freeze it, it does indeed get cold. Back to you, Pug.

Thank you, Greg. You heard it here first, folks. Water is wet, and ice is cold. Fascinating stuff.