Amazon goes to great lengths to ensure that its massive network of delivery drivers stay safe when they’re on the road. Recent reports suggest the company may have gone a little too far.
A Reddit user last week posted on the AmazonDSP subreddit about a new topic that arose during his company’s regular safety briefing. In the post, spotted by Freight Waves, the user said their team was reportedly told that Amazon is cracking down on distracted driving, so they can't be “singing along to the radio because the camera will ding you for distracted driving." When the drivers became upset, they were told that a lot of mouth movement would set off the camera so they "needed to keep mouth movement to a minimum.”
A few other Reddit users said they had heard the same thing and that it applied to other activities like hands-free phone conversations.
But Amazon Spokesperson Steve Kelly refuted the report and called the post completely inaccurate. He said, “Amazon has never issued guidance or communications to Delivery Service Partners (DSP) that prohibits singing in the vehicle.”
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Amazon works with thousands of DSPs and hundreds of thousands of drivers. The company obviously has a vested interest in maintaining a safe and efficient fleet for deliveries, the backbone of its e-commerce business. And it often faces lawsuits and large legal settlements if Amazon drivers are involved in accidents.
But it doesn’t make sense or sound very sustainable for the company to stop its drivers from singing along with the radio or having a hands-free phone conversation, an idea that has obviously touched a nerve with some drivers. According to the NHTSA, distracted driving activities include texting, eating or drinking, or “fiddling with the stereo.” Nowhere does it say you can’t hit all the high notes in “Don’t Stop Believing.” Or have a conversation if there’s someone else in the truck. Most of these things are perfectly safe as long as you keep your eyes on the road.
It’s also worth noting that in Amazon’s own video titled, “A Day in the Life of an Amazon Driver,” Adam, the featured driver, actually sings “Baby Driver” by Simon & Garfunkel while driving his truck.
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