Rules of the Road: Safety Rules for Truck Drivers

Safety is an important concern especially when driving large commercial vehicles. Any massive truck leaves a very small margin for error and when accidents do happen, the result can be extensive in both injury and physical damage.

After years of scrutinizing accidents involving commercial vehicles, the causes of accidents can be narrowed down to three basic categories: operator error, vehicle malfunction, and poor road conditions.

• Operator Error - The first and most common cause of accidents is driver error. This includes reckless driving, speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, and negative behavior that complicates the driver's performance.
• Vehicle Malfunction - The second cause of accidents is a malfunction of the vehicle itself. The most common culprit for this cause is brake failure followed by unsecured cargo.
• Poor Road Conditions - The third on the list is bad road conditions. Conditions such as slippery roads, roads with potholes, and roads under constructions can also trigger accidents.

Keeping all commercial trucks safe means avoiding conditions that could likely lead to road accidents. Following are some meas-ures related to the above categories that a truck driver could take to reduce the likelihood of accidents and increase safety on the highways.

Attitude- Because the driver maintains overall control of the vehicle, that person's attitude greatly influences the overall perform-ance of the vehicle and its safety. Consider the following recommendations:

• Stick to the basics - Big truck drivers should always follow the basic rules of traffic. This is the most straightforward way to avoid road collisions. This includes following the speed limit, driving in the proper lane, and using proper signals. 
• Don't drink and drive - Drinking alcoholic beverages reduces the driver's level of alertness and response time, thus limiting driver performance. The same goes with taking prohibited drugs. Even over-the-counter drugs, when driving, can have the potential to interfere with a driver's judgment and ability to focus.
• Maintain a positive mood - The driver's mood is projected on the way that person handles the vehicle. As much as possible, operators should always maintain a cool head despite the normal driving pressures.

Truck Reliability - Performance plays a huge role in safety. Sudden breakdowns and malfunctions can easily lead to accidents. It is always important to keep the truck in the best possible condition to prevent accidents from happening related to vehicle perform-ance. Following are some suggestions for vehicle care:

• Follow a maintenance schedule - Like every other vehicle, trucks have a required maintenance schedule to follow. Manufac-turers have already determined which parts are prone to wear-and-tear as well as an appropriate maintenance schedule. Failure to follow the scheduled maintenance and replacement of parts could affect the truck's performance and safety.
• Perform pre-driving inspection - Drivers should always make a quick inspection on the important parts of the truck before driving to ensure the vehicle is in good condition. Prior to operating, drivers should inspect the tires for over or under infla-tion. The air pressure on each tire should be balanced and suitable for the load normally carried. Brakes should also be checked to ensure that they generate required stopping power.
• Secure cargo - Accidents can also occur due to unsecured cargo as well as overloading. Before transporting cargo, always make sure that the weight of the load is well within the vehicle's capacity. It is also important to make sure that the cargo is secured and distributed properly to achieve good load balance and prevent any shifting of the load while driving.

When operating a commercial truck, always remember that safety should be at the top of every priority list. The truck being driven should be maintained in top-notch shape. A driver should always be well rested before driving any vehicle. Make sure to perform a routine inspection on the truck before driving. Follow all the rules of the road. By putting safety at the top of the list, dangerous and costly mistakes on the road that could lead to an accident can be prevented! For more additional information regarding commercial truck drivers, you may contact Brent Thunstrom at brent@covermybigrig.com 

Why "Safety is Good Business"?

Crashes are devastating in terms of fatalities and injuries, financial costs, damaged reputations, the inability to attract and retain good drivers, and general goodwill in the industry and community.

• In 2005, there were 5,212 fatalities and 91,993 injuries from large truck crashes, and 335 fatalities and 14,283 injuries from bus crashes.
• The average cost of a large truck crash involving a fatality is $3.6 million per crash.
• A crash with injuries costs almost $200,000 per crash.
• The average cost of all large truck crashes is about $91,000 per crash.

The good news is that many crashes are preventable. For example:

• In 1997, 22% of large truck fatal crashes involving more than one vehicle were speeding related.
• In 2003, about 2% of drivers with a commercial driver's license (CDL) used controlled substances, and 0.2% used alcohol (0.04 or higher blood alcohol content) while performing their duties.
• 5.5% of fatal truck crashes are caused by driver fatigue.
• A 2006 study found that only 59% of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers wear safety belts. In 2005, of the 696 CMV drivers who died in truck crashes, 344 were not wearing safety belts.
• Research has shown that there is a significant relationship between driver job change rate (turnover) and crash involvement.

Fire Prevention Plans

It is important for an employer to have a fire prevention plan in accordance with OSHA part 1910.39, which states that fire prevention plans must be in writing, be kept in the workplace, and be made available to employees for review. However, an employer with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the plan orally to employees.

A fire prevention plan must include:

1. A list of all major fire hazards, proper handling and storage procedures for hazardous materials, potential ignition sources and their control, and the type of fire protection equipment necessary to control each major hazard.
2. Procedures to control accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials.
3. Procedures for regular maintenance of safeguards installed on heat-producing equipment to prevent the accidental ignition of combustible materials.
4. The name or job title of employees responsible for maintaining equipment to prevent or control sources of ignition or fires.
5. The name or job title of employees responsible for the control of fuel source hazards.

An employer must inform employees upon initial assignment to a job of the fire hazards to which they are exposed. In addition, an employer must review with each employee those parts of the fire prevention plan necessary for self-protection.

Managing Commercial Vehicles and Fleet Costs

Communicate Management’s Expectations

Management should communicate to supervisors and employees that vehicle and driving safety is an important part of business operation cost control. It should also be clear to all employees that safe vehicle operation is expected and part of their job responsibilities.

Hold Supervisors and Drivers Accountable

Every vehicle operator should understand that safe driving skills are a condition of employment. Recognition for excellent driving performance is a powerful motivator for reducing vehicle accident loss claims and ensuring drivers consistently develop good driving skills. Using an incentive program, which has rewards of interest to drivers for achieving reasonable performance goals (such as every 2,000 or 100,000 miles driven without an accident), will reinforce, and promote the use of safe driving skills. Periodic job performance appraisals should include and reflect the safety record of each driver. When a commercial driver’s safety performance is not up to par, coaching and counseling should be used to make it clear improvement is expected. If the driver’s safety performance does not improve, the driver should be removed from driving duties.

Select the Best Drivers

A driver safety program will only be as good as the quality of the vehicle drivers. No matter whether on a part-time or full-time basis, anyone who drives a company vehicle or who drives a personal vehicle while doing company business should be expected to conform to the same selection criteria.

Check the accident and traffic violation conviction record of each driver candidate. Poor past driving experience is not a certain predictor of future driving experience, but has been found to be a strong indicator that the driver is much more likely to be involved in future accidents. The job application should include a release to the employer so that vehicle driving, credit and medical records can be checked. The truck driver candidate must have a valid current driver’s license. If the driving job involves handling valuable equipment, cargo, and/or money, a credit check should be done in accordance with applicable credit reporting laws. Always interview driver candidates. The interviewer should inform the candidate of physical exams and other testing requirements. Employers should conduct an actual road test before offering employment to driver candidates. The operator test should consist of conditions and driving tasks required by the position. When all information from exams, interviewing, reference checks, and tests are used to select the best-qualified driver, the odds are in your favor that a competent, safe operator has been hired.

Keep Drivers Trained

Even if safe, competent drivers are selected, periodic retraining and re-evaluation of operator skills are desirable. Sometimes the law requires that some drivers must receive training and be tested. It’s a good idea to give refresher training and driver tests to all drivers periodically to ensure that they know traffic regulations and use safe driving practices.

Cost of Large Truck Accidents

United States Department of Transportation estimates that over 500,000 truck accidents occur every year. More than 75% of truck driving accidents are due to the driver of the passenger vehicle. Only 16% of all truck driving accidents are due to the truck driver’s fault. Nearly 5,000 people are killed in accidents that involve large commercial vehicles; 98% of the time, the driver of the ‘other vehicle’ is the person that perishes.

Accident Costs (direct + indirect) consist of any or all of the following:

Direct Costs:	Indirect (Hidden) Costs:
Cargo Damage	Lost Clients/Customers
Vehicle Damage	Lost Sales
Injury (s) Costs	Meetings Missed
Medical Costs	Salaries Paid to Employees in Accident
Loss of Revenue	Lost Time at Work
Administrative Costs	Supervisor’s Time
Police Report	Loss of Personal Property
Possible effect on Cost of Insurance	Replacement Vehicle Rental
Towing Costs	Damaged Equipment Downtime
Storage of Damaged Vehicle	Accelerated Depreciation of Equipment
Possible Effect on Cost of Workman’s Compensation Insurance	Accident Reporting
	Medical Costs Paid by Company
	Poor Public Relations/Publicity
	Increased Public Relations Costs
	Government Agency Costs
	Cost to Hire/Train Replacement Employees

Revenues Necessary to Pay for Accident Losses
This table shows the Dollars of Revenue required to pay for different amounts of costs for accidents.
It is necessary for a motor carrier to generate an additional $1,250,000 revenue to pay for the cost of a $25,000 accident, assuming an average profit of 2%.The amount of revenue require to pay for losses will vary with the profit margin.
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Yearly Accident Costs	Profit Margin
	1%	2%	3%	4%	5%
$1,000	100,000	50,000	33,000	25,000	20,000
5,000	500,000	250,000	167,000	125,000	100,000
10,000	1,000,000	500,000	333,000	250,000	200,000
25,000	2,500,000	1,250,000	833,000	625,000	500,000
50,000	5,000,000	2,500,000	1,667,000	1,250,000	1,000,000
100,000	10,000,000	5,000,000	3,333,000	2,500,000	2,000,000
150,000	15,000,000	7,500,000	5,000,000	3,750,000	3,000,000
$200,000	20,000,000	10,000,000	6,666,000	5,000,000	4,000,000
Revenues Required to Cover Losses

Technology: Wireless Mobile Communications Tracking Systems

Wireless mobile communications tracking systems use satellite-tracking Global Positioning System (GPS) technology for vehicle location information, as well as satellite and/or cellular communications technologies for two-way communication.

Using mobile communications tracking systems, drivers, dispatchers, and fleet managers can easily communicate during daily operations and emergencies. These systems allow on-site carrier personnel to efficiently send messages, such as load assignments, directly to the truck drivers in near real time. Then, drivers can send messages to dispatchers and respond with current information, such as arrivals and departures.

In addition, the systems can provide on-site carrier personnel with vehicle location information, such as latitude, longitude, and distance from cities, towns, and landmarks. Some systems display the last known locations and position history information of vehicles. As a result, dispatchers know when vehicles are expected to arrive at destinations, and they can relay this information to their customers. By assessing vehicle locations along with operating parameters, carriers can track driver and vehicle performance to conduct more efficient and safe operations.

By wirelessly communicating routing information, specific routes can be pre-determined and last minute route changes can be conveyed to drivers to improve delivery times. In addition, the geo-fencing feature provides alerts to the carrier when a vehicle departs from a set route for appropriate action to be taken.

The use of mobile communications tracking systems can enhance the safety, security, and efficiency of commercial vehicle operations by providing information about asset locations and a direct means of communication between carrier personnel and drivers. To increase security, these systems allow drivers to make real-time contact with carrier personnel in emergency situations. By closely tracking vehicles and assets, opportunities for cargo and vehicle theft can be reduced.

Additional benefits include potential improvements in delivery service and asset utilization through vehicle location and routing information. Human resource management and worker productivity can be enhanced by carriers receiving more accurate status and arrival time information on shipments. Increased visibility into this information can expedite deliveries and help to ensure on-time performance to customers. Furthermore, implementation of mobile communications tracking systems with tethered trailer tracking units have the potential to maximize vehicle utilization and facilitate better trailer inventory management. Overall, this information allows carriers to improve scheduling of deliveries.

The use of mobile communications tracking systems can improve safety when operational maintenance personnel remotely diagnose vehicle-operating parameters to maintain optimum vehicle safety and minimize repair expenses. In addition, safer operations can result from the carrier using information from these systems to monitor driving performance. Increased safety, security, and efficiency also have the potential to lower costs to carriers.

The Dangers of Sleep Apnea

A study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the American Transportation Research Institute of the American Trucking Associations found that almost one-third (28 percent) of commercial truck drivers have mild to severe sleep apnea

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a breathing-related sleep disorder that causes brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. These pauses in breathing can last at least 10 seconds or more and can occur up to 400 times a night. Sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition that often goes unrecognized and undiagnosed.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

• Loud snoring
• Morning headaches and nausea
• Gasping or choking while sleeping
• Loss of sex drive/impotence
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Irritability and/or feelings of depression
• Disturbed sleep
• Concentration and memory problems
• Frequent nightime urination 

Diagnosing Sleep Apnea
In order to diagnose sleep apnea, your doctor may send you to a sleep center for testing. You may be asked to spend a night at the center, where experts will monitor your sleep.

How Can Sleep Apnea Affect Your Driving?
Because sleep apnea affects your sleep, it also affects your daytime alertness and performance. Untreated sleep apnea can make it difficult for you to stay awake, focus your eyes, and react quickly while driving. In general, studies show that people with untreated sleep apnea have an increased risk of being involved in a fatigue-related motor vehicle crash.

Can You Still Drive if You Have Sleep Apnea?
Yes! While FMCSA regulations do not specifically address sleep apnea, they do prescribe that a person with a medical history or clinical diagnosis of any condition likely to interfere with their ability to drive safely cannot be medically qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. However, once successfully treated, a driver may regain their "medically-qualified-to-drive" status. It is important to note that most cases of sleep apnea can be treated successfully.

What are the Obligations of a Motor Carrier Regarding Employees with Sleep Apnea?
A motor carrier may not require or permit a driver to operate a CMV if the driver has a condition — including sleep apnea that would affect his or her ability to safely operate the vehicle.
It is critical that persons with sleep apnea fully use the treatment provided by their doctor. They should not drive if they are not being treated. Being effectively treated, and complying with that treatment, offers the best hope of a commercial driver with sleep apnea to secure the ability to do his or her job safely and be fully alert.