Making Focused Driving a Business Priority for Greenhouse Growers
April 10, 2026 For horticulture businesses that operate delivery trucks, service vans, and fleet vehicles, driving risk is one of the most visible — and controllable — risks you manage. Deliveries often follow tight schedules, increasing pressure on drivers and vehicles.
Yet when greenhouse leaders evaluate risk in 2026, vehicle safety may not rank among the top concerns — even though every mile carries a real liability risk.
According to the 2026 C-Suite Stress Index commissioned by Sentry® Insurance, 69% of executives believe a single multimillion-dollar verdict could put their company out of business. And 93% have seen their companies affected by lawsuits in the past five years. Still, fewer than one in five leaders list lawsuits among their top risks heading into the year.
Mitigating these risks requires a shift in thinking from reacting to distracted driving incidents to building a proactive culture of focused driving.
Why “Focused Driving” Is More Than Just Avoiding Distractions
Most safety conversations center on distracted driving. The term focuses on correcting bad behavior: don’t text, don’t eat, don’t scroll.
Focused driving moves the conversation upstream. It asks: “What does our company expect when someone gets behind the wheel? What behaviors do we reinforce? And how does leadership contribute to distraction?”
Consider the data:
- Employees receive a new text notification every six miles on a corporate device.
- 72% of workers whose jobs involve driving feel pressure to use their devices to respond immediately to work-related communication.
- 39% of people would answer a call while driving due to demands or pressures from work, while 46% would read or send emails due to demands or pressures from work.
In other words, distraction is rarely just a driver problem. It’s often a culture problem. It’s critical to empower everyone in your organization to talk openly about reducing cell phone use and other distractions — like eating and drinking behind the wheel — across staff, management, and safety meetings, and in day-to-day interactions.
What the 2026 C-Suite Stress Index Reveals About Driver Risk and Liability
Commercial auto accidents often drive high-dollar claims. Nuclear verdicts — jury awards of $10 million or more — are increasingly common in auto claims and can lead to corporate bankruptcy, skyrocketing auto insurance premiums, and damage to morale and reputation.
Sentry’s 2026 C-Suite Stress Index found:
- 69% of executives believe one nuclear verdict would likely put their company out of business.
- 66% say the rise of third-party litigation funding is a growing problem in their industries.
- 42% report leadership attention being diverted to legal matters due to lawsuits.
- Nearly 50% have seen higher premiums or legal costs tied to litigation.
In a severe crash, plaintiffs’ attorneys are likely to examine hiring records, training documentation, phone logs, telematics data, and company policies. They may also ask whether leadership enforced safe practices or contributed to unsafe ones.
Focused driving programs help answer those questions before a jury does. They also help protect brand reputation. Greenhouse operations often deliver to big-box retailers, garden centers, and municipalities. A marked company vehicle involved in a serious crash may erode trust quickly, affecting recruitment, retention, and business development.
How Telematics and Dash Cams Support Safer Driving Behaviors
An effective driver safety program goes beyond a written policy and includes buy-in from company leadership to dispatch operators and drivers. Here are five features of a strong driver safety program:
1. Create Clear Expectations
Strong safe driving policies include:
- No use of handheld devices, along with sample voicemails and call-forwarding to use on the road
- Guidance on speed limits, seatbelt use, and maintenance checks
- Clear expectations about supervisor communication while employees are driving
- Guidelines defining who may use company vehicles, required training, and/or licensing mandates
- Signed acknowledgments and regular recertification
Recordkeeping matters. Signed documentation, training logs, and policy enforcement create a defensible framework if litigation arises.
2. Train for Focus, Not Fear
At 55 mph, taking your eyes off the road for five seconds is equivalent to driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. Training that helps drivers see the risk makes focus tangible.
Good driver training reinforces positive behaviors:
- Scanning ahead and staying engaged
- Maintaining safe following distances
- Conducting pre-trip inspections
- Recognizing fatigue
Nearly all executives in the Stress Index (92%) report acting when employees don’t follow safe driving practices, and 57% require additional training.
Encourage all employees — not just drivers — to speak up about unsafe practices. A culture of safety depends on psychological safety, too.
3. Leverage Telematics and Dash Cams
Telematics systems track speed, harsh braking, acceleration, and route patterns. Dash cams can provide context in disputed incidents. For greenhouse operators, these tools offer early identification of risky driving trends, coaching opportunities, evidence for legal defense, and data to support insurance discussions.
The C-Suite Stress Index found:
- 69% of companies operate vehicles
- 61% have installed dash cams
- 69% use recordings to improve driver behavior
- 50% have used footage to exonerate a driver in a lawsuit
4. Prioritize Vehicle Maintenance
Vehicle condition directly affects safety. Include in routine pre-trip inspections:
- Tires and tread depth
- Brakes
- Lights and signals
- Mirrors and cameras
- Load securement for plant carts or materials
Documented maintenance logs show consistency. In litigation, poor maintenance records can significantly weaken a company’s position.
5. Plan for Post-Accident Response
Train every driver on what to do immediately after an accident:
- Ensure safety and call emergency services
- Document the scene
- Notify designated supervisors
- Avoid admitting fault
Clear protocols help reduce confusion and protect both employees and the organization.
How Leadership Influences Driver Behavior
The C-Suite Stress Index shows 83% of executives plan to increase investment in worker safety in 2026, and 98% intend to reevaluate their insurance coverage. Make focused driving part of that conversation.
Align commercial transportation coverage, umbrella policies, and risk management services with fleet size, geographic exposure, and delivery volume. Your insurer can help evaluate telematics integration, training programs, and policy gaps. Remember, coverage isn’t the primary goal. Accident reduction is.
Moving the Safety Culture Forward
April’s Distracted Driving Awareness Month messaging often highlights what not to do. Greenhouse businesses have an opportunity to lead differently — with a focus on what to do right.
Focused driving reframes the issue as:
- A leadership responsibility
- A cultural expectation
- A strategic risk management priority
When executives model restraint in communications, invest in training, leverage technology, and document accountability, they reduce the risk of catastrophic loss. More importantly, they help protect their people.
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