How can you help drivers reduce the risk of accidents? Heavy Duty Truck interviewed several experts on the subject, including CarriersEdge president Mark Murrell, Area Wide Protective Director of Compliance Lori Lonti, and Bendix Commercial Vehicles Systems Director of Marketing and Customer Solutions TJ Thomas. Here’s the advice they have for fleet operators.

  When it comes to the weather, drivers need to do more than check forecasts. They also need to be taught how to recognize signs of weather changes, including darkening skies, large dark clouds and changes to wind, atmospheric pressure and temperature.

 Each season brings new challenges. Winter weather causes major problems with traction and visibility. Drivers face fewer daylight hours, white-out conditions and snow and ice-covered roads. Drivers also need to be vigilant outside of the truck, being careful not to slip on ice while doing inspections. In the spring, drivers face thunderstorms, bringing lightning, tornadoes, wind and flooding. Precipitation can lead to hydroplaning, while surface water increases sun glare. Winter weather leaves behind more potholes, while better weather increases the number of pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycle riders. Summer brings more daylight and less rain. However, it’s also construction season. Lanes are narrow, and drivers merge unexpectedly. Motorcycles and RVs are also out in force. In the fall, school buses are back on the road, and harvests bring out slow-moving farm equipment.

  Where possible, traffic problems should be planned into the schedule, so drivers aren’t pressured to make up time in dangerous situations. It’s also good to have a refresher on emergency plans, instead of forgetting them after initial training. Provide a checklist with the truck’s emergency kit to guide drivers if and when they have an accident.

  Driver assistance technologies are making trucking easier, but they aren’t a replacement for a skilled, alert driver. Truck drivers need to know how these new systems work, and what their limitations are.

 Not all distractions are the driver’s fault. Some issues are tied to the job, and should be dealt with at an administrative level. These include deadline pressure and friction with operations. Often, drivers don’t understand how dangerous distracted driving is. Showing collisions and near-collisions during training drives the point home.

 In-vehicle alerts are a useful tool for decreasing distracted driving. These notify the driver immediately, so they will correct their actions. This helps drivers break bad habits, leading to safer driving. It also decreases the need for in-person coaching.

Additional credit: Weathering Storms, Traffic & More: Keeping Drivers Safe – Drivers – Trucking Info