In the trucking business, safety must be a priority. Not only is it mandated by the government but it also impacts every aspect of what we do. From on-time delivery and ensuring the supply chain, to getting drivers home safe to their families, we should never settle or relax our safety standards.
Why is safety so important?
Being safe allows us to do our job the best and most efficient way possible. Being safe also ensures we are doing our part to protect ourselves, drivers, and other people from injury or worse.
Trucking has been singled out as one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States by the Department of Labor (DOL); hence, companies spend thousands of dollars a year and countless hours to promote and encourage safe behaviors from their truck drivers, operations, and maintenance staff.
By constantly considering safety first, companies also work to reduce costs associated with accidents, like repairs, claim payouts, and insurance premiums.
But the bottom line is, safety is about protecting you and the lives of those around you.
7 Safety Tips for Truck Drivers
Companies can include many simple things to promote safety and drivers into their daily activities to avoid incidents, accidents, and injuries.
Here are seven tips for companies and drivers to maintain the best safety conditions.
1. Equipment inspection and maintenance
Maintenance is not only required when a truck or trailer breaks down; it is also crucial to inspect equipment regularly to identify preventive maintenance, so equipment failure on the road can be avoided. Being safe is as much about your attitude and driving ability as it is the maintenance and condition of your equipment. Inspecting your equipment daily and having a professional mechanic inspect your equipment monthly and performing routine maintenance is the best way to ensure your equipment is operating correctly.
2. Plan ahead and know your route
They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In logistics, there are so many factors involved in getting from point A to point B. Although you cannot plan for every contingency, you can identify elements such as weather, traffic, and detours to reduce their impact on you and your safety.
Dispatch should try and give you as much time to review your load information as they can so you can properly prepare. Look over your route and hours of service to make sure you have enough time. Once you’ve established the route and time required, then you can plan for avoiding traffic and detours. A trucking GPS can be invaluable in trip planning, but always review your route against an atlas so you can anticipate changes and be prepared if you need to decide quickly to avoid harsh weather, traffic, or an accident.
Don’t forget to plan out your breaks and parking. Knowing when and where you will be stopping will greatly reduce your stress and allow you to focus on the road and anticipate hazards.
3. Defensive driving
Defensive driving refers to always being on the lookout for any unusual or dangerous conditions on the road and anticipating hazards and what other drivers are doing. Staying alert and focused is critical to your safety and the safety of other sand gives you the best chance to act safely if you encounter a hazard or dangerous situation. There are many techniques drivers can use to drive defensively; these are just a few:
- When there’s doubt, slow down
- Be aware of blind spots
- Be prepared for emergencies
- Use the 3-second rule
- Always use signals
4. Avoid distractions
Distracted driving has proven to be fatal. It is considered the number one cause of truck driver accidents by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Therefore, you must stay diligent and work to stay focused on the task ahead.
Even though our mobile devices are an ally on the road, to anticipate the weather and guide us along the way, they can quickly become a double-edged sword. Texting, answering a phone call, or looking at a video on YouTube when driving takes your mind off what is most important, your safety and the safety of those around you.
But distraction while driving is not only caused by cellphone usage. Even daydreaming or looking out the window at something and taking your eyes off the road ahead for a second is also a distraction. This kind of distraction can be easily avoided by staying concentrated on the road and taking active breaks, which can help you get your head back in the game.
5. Use downtime properly
Getting enough good rest is necessary to your safety. When you are well-rested, your mind is clearer, you have more energy and better judgment. You must use your downtime wisely. It is essential to rest, do some exercise, and eat healthy during this time so that when you are back on the road, your senses are working to their fullest potential.
It is also critical to take advantage of your 30-minute break by doing activities that help you stay energized and alert for the rest of your journey.
6. Do not take for granted the 3 points of contact rule.
Accidents do not only happen while driving on the road; they may occur in the least expected moments, like when you are boarding your vehicle. The three-points-of-contact rule requires you to have both hands and one foot on your vehicle or both feet and one hand on the vehicle. Keeping this in mind will avoid slips and falls that may also be considered accidents and can cause the driver unwanted and incapacitating injuries.
7. Other Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)
Often, we overlook the importance of other PPE such as good shoes and sunglasses. We should never underestimate the benefit of quality shoes with good grip and laces have on your safety. Much like our truck, we count on our feet to get us where we are going. Proper footwear that fits correctly and helps grip the ground to avoid slips and falls is a huge asset to the job of a truck driver.
On that same note, using the right sunglasses may avoid incidents caused by blinding glare, reflected sunlight, or other vehicles. This happens a lot when driving, and one of the ways to mitigate the risk of not being able to see for a couple of seconds is using polarized lenses. These lenses will allow you to see and avoid any fatal situation. It would be best if the sunglasses were curved on the sides and with thin frames. Be sure to take them off when entering a tunnel or when you can see correctly without them.
Considering these 7 simple tips, companies and truck drivers will operate safer, avoid accidents on the road, and provide the best services possible for the customer. Safety must always come first; it should be part of the company and driver culture so that everyone’s well-being is maintained and the number of road accidents decreases.