Driver safety is not just important for their health and well-being, but it is indirectly related to the safety of all the motorists on the road. The transportation and logistics department has some of the largest numbers of work hour injuries and accidents. Improving and guiding your drivers to take safety measures will ensure their safety, but also save you a lot of money spent on accident recovery and claim payments. ???????
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It is difficult to control someone’s actions completely, especially when the other is driving. However, you can improve the safety of your truck drivers by creating a culture of continuous training, coaching, and rewarding the safest drivers. To help you in the process of safety assurance, the article explains the top essential driver safety tips to keep your drivers safe on the road.
Defensive driving is a driving approach that encourages truckers to consistently lookout for potential hazards and changes in driving or road conditions. Drivers can significantly decrease accidents by anticipating potentially dangerous situations and making well-informed decisions while behind the wheel.
By sticking to defensive driving techniques, drivers are less likely to be involved in accidents — so you can rest assured and worry less about the costs of repairs, claims, and insurance premiums.
Some of the defensive driving practices include:
A blind spot is an area around the vehicle that can not be seen directly by the drivers. So, a little more effort is needed from truckers to keep a check on the blind spot by looking over the shoulder ensuring safety.
This rule says that the truck driver should at least let a three-second pass to reach a place on the road where another vehicle was. Drivers can increase the distance-time depending on the weather conditions of the road. If the road is icy it is better to stretch the time distance to 10 seconds.
When covering long distances, conditions can change quickly. Prepare your drivers for emergencies. May it be road conditions or vehicle breakdowns. Drivers who have a stock of safety tools, water, snacks, changing clothes, blankets, and first aid kits can safely pass any harshness in the form of bad weather, road conditions, or vehicle issues.
Drivers operating on longer stretches of roads and or non-peak traffic times are often tempted to change lanes and exit the highway without signaling. However, not signaling increases the chances of accidents and collisions. So, guide and remind your drivers to signal even when there is no vehicle around on the road.
Guide your drivers to always slow down as the first response to changing conditions may be bad weather, poor visibility, an animal running on the road, or slippery roads. Slowing down gives extra time to the drivers to act wisely and make correct decisions according to the circumstantial changes they are facing.
The safety of your driver starts with the safety and condition of the vehicle they are driving. Trucks or trailers that are not regularly maintained - like oil or brake pads or gear system lubrication - are more likely to break down on the road.
Build a robust maintenance schedule based on mileage, days, breakdown history, and more. Make sure your drivers take the vehicle under their responsibility for regular maintenance on time and not procrastinate to increase their working hours.
Regular maintenance and pre-trip vehicle inspections work hand in hand for the protection and safety of your driver. Where the pre and post-trip inspections are required by regulations, inspections done by kicking tires, or visually inspecting the engine will not work. Make sure to use proper tools to inspect the vehicle before the driver starts driving it for hauling goods. It is better to maintain a record system where inspectors enter pictures and related readings before setting a vehicle off to the road.
No doubt skills increase with practice, but sometimes people can become negligent and start overseeing the basic driving rules and training lessons due to overconfidence, or maybe they are fed up with the routine driving. Moreover, drivers escaping potential accidents or collisions by a narrow margin can lose their driving confidence. To overcome all the negatives of these activities, encourage and if possible find your drivers to take driving refresher courses from a reputed professional driving school.
Long road hours and continuous driving can be stressful and impact the physical and mental health of your driverProper s. Stressed individuals are more likely to commit mistakes and get into accidents. rest and breaks can play a crucial role in keeping your drivers in the right state of mind and energized. Encourage them to take regular breaks, stretches, and healthy snacking during downtimes. This will automatically help your driver be more vigilant and stop lagging or sleeping during driving - attracting accidents and collisions
