Have vehicles and will travel? If your company has a fleet, follow these tips to mitigate risk on the road.
Have vehicles and will travel? If your company has a fleet, follow these tips to mitigate risk on the road.
- Curb Distracted Driving
A study done by the University of Utah found that talking on a cell phone, even hands free, was the equivalent to driving drunk with a blood alcohol limit of 0.08. That’s a scary statistic. And how about driving and eating? It increases the odds of an automobile crash or near crash threefold.
Make sure your fleet is utilizing the recommendations from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA). They prohibit commercial drivers from holding a phone to talk that requires more than one button to dial a phone number. They also prohibit reaching for a phone while driving.
- If your company policy doesn’t prohibit the use of phones while driving, require drivers to mount the communication device in an accessible location where s/he does not have to overreach and can press one button to make a call.
- Bust Fatigue
Being even moderately drowsy can inhibit cognitive function and alertness for safe driving. The recommended amount of sleep to achieve regular alertness is about 7.5 hours.
- Require drivers to log of all their hours while traveling. This way sleep quantity can be monitored.
- Ensure the Fleet is in Tip Top Shape
Mechanical failure is one way accidents happen. Reduce the risk by knowing the condition of your fleet.
- Create a pre- and post-inspection log for drivers to use.
- Here are some examples of items that must be checked:
- Service brakes
- Trailer brake connections
- Steering mechanism
- Lighting devices and reflectors
- Tires
- Horn
- Refresh Knowledge Annually
Yearly training dedicated to safe driving practices is one of the best ways to make sure that drivers are keeping their eyes on the road and maintaining their vehicles.
- We recommend covering these topics:
- Defensive driving techniques
- Load securement methods
- Pre-trip and post-trip procedures
- Cell phone policy overview
- Accident reporting procedures