Delivery drivers have more reasons to look at a phone while driving than almost any other group on the road. Next stop address, customer notes, scan confirmation, dispatch message — the temptation to glance is constant. And it's one of the most dangerous habits in the profession.
The Numbers Are Clear
According to the NHTSA, looking away from the road for five seconds while traveling at 55 mph covers the length of a football field. Final mile drivers are typically in residential areas at lower speeds, but the math applies: a one-second glance at your phone while turning onto a quiet street is still a one-second gap in your awareness during the highest-risk moment of a stop approach.
Rear-end collisions and intersection incidents are the most common crashes for delivery drivers — both are disproportionately tied to distracted driving.
Your Phone Setup Is a Safety System
The fix isn't willpower — it's setup. A properly mounted phone at eye level in a dash or windshield mount means your route navigation is visible without looking down. Audio cues from your delivery app and GPS handle the next-turn information you need between stops.
Your phone should not be in your hand while the vehicle is moving. Ever. This isn't a style preference — it's traffic law in most states, with fines in the hundreds of dollars for first violations and license points for repeat offenses.
Managing App Interactions While Moving
Your delivery app typically requires you to close a delivery before navigating to the next stop. Train yourself to complete the app interaction while parked, not while driving to the next stop. This means: pull away from the delivery point, drive to a safe position (next driveway or pull-out), complete the app close-out, then drive.
Two extra minutes per shift. Zero distracted driving incidents per shift.
Dispatch Calls: The Other Distraction
A hands-free call while driving is legal in most states and significantly safer than a handheld call. If your company calls frequently while you're on route, use a Bluetooth earpiece or your vehicle's hands-free system. Picking up a phone and pressing it to your ear while navigating traffic is a two-second distraction at a critical moment.
If a call requires you to reference your manifest, pull over first. A question that requires you to look at your screen while on the phone is a two-device distraction. Pull over, answer it properly, and move on.
Mental Fatigue Is a Distraction Too
End-of-shift cognitive fatigue affects driving safety just as much as phone use. After six or seven hours of in-and-out stops, your reaction times are longer and your attention is less sharp. This is when safe driving habits matter most. Slow down slightly on the final section of your route. Be more deliberate at intersections.
JWA Logistics drivers are professionals, and professional driving means the road always comes first. Your attention on the drive between stops is the most important safety contribution you make every single shift.