Training provides the knowledge, skills and motivation to drive safely and control fleet losses.
A road test and observation should be part of the probationary period for all new drivers. The length of probation is a management decision. A periodic safety meeting discussing safe driving techniques should be conducted by management.
Discussion topics could include:
• Company driving rules
• New regulations
• Defensive driving techniques
• Backing techniques
• Adverse weather driving
• Vehicle maintenance requirements
• Accident reporting
• Emergency procedures
Attendance at a local defensive driving class (traffic school) should be strongly considered as a training tool.
Preventable Accident
A “preventable accident” is one in which the driver failed to exercise every reasonable precaution to prevent the accident.
There are five characteristics of a defensive driver:
• Knowledge of laws and safe driving strategies
• Alertness to be able to focus attention on driving and the changing conditions that occur
• Foresight to recognize hazards in advance and know what actions can be taken
• Judgment to decide on the safest action to take
• Skill to carry out the action
Techniques used to recognize hazards while driving:
• Scan the road ahead, behind and next to your vehicle.
• In congested traffic such as city driving, scan one or two blocks ahead or to the next intersection.
• On rural roads or less congested highways, scan to the next hill or curve.
• Check the rear-view and side-view mirrors every three to five seconds.
Understanding appropriate actions:
• Slow down in bad weather.
• Leave additional clearance between your vehicle and the one in front of you.
Acting Correctly in Time
If the driver recognizes the potential hazards while driving and understands the appropriate actions that can be taken if there is an unexpected hazard, choosing the correct action will be taking the one with the least resistance or damage.
Speed
For every 10 miles per hour over 50 mph, you double your chance of being killed. Improper speed is a direct cause of almost 25% of all fatal collisions and many violations.
Major Consequences of Speeding:
• Increased gas consumption
• Longer stopping distances
• Violation of traffic laws
• Increased chance of fatality
• Decreased peripheral scanning ability
If everyone else is speeding, what should you do?
If you choose not to speed, drive in the right lane or, on a multi-lane expressway, in the lane with the least visible hazards. Be aware that slower traffic must remain to the right and keep within the legal limits posted on the freeway.
Right-of-Way Intersections
Another action that contributes to collisions and violations is failure to yield the right-of-way. A lot of drivers think at certain types of intersections they have the right-of-way. The fact is that the law gives the right-of-way to no one. The right-of-way is yielded. Most situations in which we need to yield or fail to yield occur at intersections. Most collisions in cities and urban areas occur at intersections.
Intersection Safety Formula:
KNOW – Know who should yield, but don’t expect the other driver to do so. Scan the street ahead at least two blocks in the city or to the next intersection. In rural areas, scan to the next hill or curve.
SHOW – Show the other drivers what you are going to do when approaching an intersection. Use your directional turn signal and move into the correct lane. Also, be sure to turn off the signal after you have completed the turn.
SLOW – Slow down as you approach the intersection and be prepared to stop at any moment.
GO – Finally, go through the intersection when it is safe to do so.
Left and Right Turns
Another error that occurs at many intersections is unsafe or improper turns.
Making a Right Turn
1. Turn on your directional signal at least 100 ft. before the intersection.
2. Check your right blind spot for other traffic: vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, etc.
3. Move into the right lane when it is safe to do so.
4. Obey the traffic control device (light).
5. Yield to pedestrians and/or vehicles in the intersection.
6. Make your turn.
Making a Left Turn
1. Turn on your directional signal (turn signal).
2. Move into the left lane.
3. Obey the traffic control device (light).
4. Keep your wheels pointed straight. If you are struck from behind, you will not be pushed left into oncoming traffic.
5. Yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
6. Make your turn into the corresponding lane.
Following Too Closely
What do you think are the most common actions that cause rear-end collisions?
• Following too closely and not stopping in time
Most drivers think they can stop in time. However, at a speed of just 20 miles per hour, it will take an average vehicle between 40 and 44 ft. to stop. And, this is if all driving factors are good. The faster you drive, the more distance you’ll need to stop. At 65 mph, it will take about 231-295 ft to stop.
Determining a Safe Following Distance
Use the two-second rule when following another vehicle. If all conditions are good (the driver, vehicle and environment), watch the rear bumper of the vehicle in front of you. As the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object, such as a pole or sign, begin counting 1001, 1002, so that your front bumper should not pass the same fixed object until you count to 1002.
Two-second plus rule
If you are driving in adverse conditions, use the two-second-plus rule. The rule is to add an additional second of space for following distance for every adverse condition:
• If you have a heavy load, add one second.
• If you are towing a trailer, add one second.
• If the roads are wet, add one second.
• If you are being tailgated, add one second.
• If you are towing a trailer, the road is wet, and you are being tailgated, add three seconds.
Passing
Passing another vehicle while moving should not be done for the following reasons:
• Just to get in front
• Late for an appointment
• Habit
• Because you can
Before deciding to pass another vehicle, three questions should be asked:
• Is the pass necessary?
• How much will I lose if I do not pass?
• Why am I passing?
Never pass in the following areas:
• No-passing zones
• School zones
• Within 100 ft. of a railroad crossing
• Within 100 ft. of an intersection
• Within 100 ft. of a tunnel
• At curves or hills
• On two-lane or narrow bridges
• Construction zones
• Hospital zones
Rules regarding a legal pass:
Maintain the proper following distance behind the vehicle in front.
You will be able to see down the road for oncoming traffic and thus avoid a rear-end collision if the vehicle suddenly stops.
Before starting the pass:
• Look ahead.
• Signal left.
• Check blind spots.
• Verify you are not being passed.
Making the pass:
• Move into the left lane and increase speed.
• Communicate with your horn or light (if necessary).
After the pass:
• Signal right.
• Make sure you can see pavement between your vehicle and the one you just passed.
• Check blind spot.
• Move right back into the proper lane.