Company Proprietary and Confidential Information

DEFENSIVE DRIVING

Commercial motor vehicle driver

2

OBJECTIVES

➢Understand and recognize driving

hazards and dangerous conditions

➢Know how to avoid potential accidents

➢Inspect and maintain your vehicle

➢Operate your vehicle safely

➢Respond to emergencies and accidents

3

MOTOR VEHICLE INJURY AND DEATH

ARE PREVENTABLE

➢Around 5,000 CMV-related fatalities

➢More than 120,000 CMV-related injuries

➢More than 650 truck drivers died on the job

➢Truck drivers have more nonfatal injuries than workers in any other occupation

4

DRIVING HAZARDS

➢Reckless driving

➢Distracted drivers

➢Aggressive driving/road rage

➢Fatigue

➢Poor vehicle operating condition

➢Alcohol or drugs

➢Texting, talking on the phone or looking at

the phone for messages/phone numbers.

5

DRIVING HAZARDS

➢ Construction Work Zone

➢ Trucks and Motorcycles – sharing the

road

➢ School Zones – Watch out for children

and Bicyclist

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DRIVING HAZARDS

Reckless driving:

Speeding, weaving through traffic, ignoring signs and signals,

tailgating, and dangerous passing

Distracted drivers:

Drivers using cell phones—and especially texting, putting on make-up,

eating or drinking, writing or reading, and having conversations with

passengers. These drivers aren’t aware of their surroundings

Aggressive drivers:

Who can easily create a “road rage” situation that is dangerous for all

drivers—remember to keep your cool, even in stressful situations

7

DRIVING HAZARDS

Driver fatigue:

Fatigue results in poor judgment and slow reaction

times

Vehicles in poor operating condition:

Brakes that are not working effectively, lights that are

out, and tires that are bald

Alcohol & Drugs:

Drivers that are under the influence of alcohol or

drugs, including prescription or over-the-counter

drugs. Drivers impaired by drugs or alcohol cause

about one-third of all traffic accidents.

8

DRIVING HAZARDS – FMCSA RULE

& CELL PHONES

A new FMCSA rule restricts the use of all hand-held mobile devices by

drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). This rulemaking restricts a

CMV driver from holding a mobile device to make a call, or dialing by

pressing more than a single button. CMV drivers who use a mobile phone

while driving can only use a hands-free phone located in close proximity.

Research commissioned by FMCSA shows that the odds of being involved

in a safety-critical event (e.g., crash, near-crash, unintentional lane

deviation) are 6 times greater for CMV drivers who engage in dialing a

mobile phone while driving than for those who do not. Dialing drivers took

their eyes off the forward roadway for an average of 3.8 seconds. At 55

mph (or 80.7 feet per second), this equates to a driver traveling 306 feet,

the approximate length of a football field, without looking at the roadway!

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DRIVING HAZARDS – FMCSA RULE

& CELL PHONES

The use of a hand-held mobile telephone means:

• Using at least one hand to hold a mobile phone to make a call;

• Dialing a mobile phone by pressing more than a single button; or

• Reaching for a mobile phone in a manner that requires a driver to

maneuver so that he or she is no longer in a seated driving position,

restrained by a seat belt.

The rule applies to drivers operating a commercial motor vehicle on a

roadway, including moving forward or temporarily stationary because of

traffic, traffic control devices, or other momentary delays.

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TEXTING WHILE DRIVING

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DANGEROUS CONDITIONS

➢Bad weather conditions—rain, snow, ice, severe winds, and fog

➢Road conditions -such as sharp curves, uneven surfaces, and obstacles in the road

➢Poor lighting especially at night or glaring sunlight making it difficult to see

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DANGEROUS CONDITIONS (CONT.)

➢Heavy traffic- because of the close location of the other cars and cars that are switching lanes and trying to pass each other

➢Busy intersections - including railroad crossings, pose dangers from oncoming traffic

➢Accidents - This can create extremely dangerous conditions for drivers approaching or involved in the accident

➢Shifting cargo - This can cause loads to unbalance the vehicle

13

BE A DEFENSIVE DRIVER

➢Recognize hazardous driving situations - Allow time to

safely maneuver past them

➢Assume other drivers will make mistakes – Be on

guard in the event an error is made

➢Make adjustments if a hazard develops - Adjust speed,

position, direction, and your level of attention to be able to maneuver safely if a hazard develops

➢Look ahead for approaching hazards - Scan far

enough ahead to be able to react safely to approaching situations. Watch for cars passing, merging, changing lanes, putting on their brakes, and signaling to turn.

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BE A DEFENSIVE DRIVER

➢Watch vehicles to your side and rear - Scan to the side

and rear for passing or approaching vehicles. Avoid sudden stops.

Give the vehicles behind you a warning by tapping quickly on your brakes once or twice. Use turn signals and brakes well in advance

➢Scan the road before changing speed or direction -Scan the road and the vehicles around you thoroughly before changing speed or direction

➢Always use your turn signals - Always remember to use your

turn signal before you make a turn so other drivers know where you are

going

➢Drive with your lights on - Always drive with your lights on to

ensure you can see—and other drivers can see you

15

GET REST AND AVOID FATIGUE

➢ Get some sleep

➢ Keep cab well ventilated

➢ Adjust your vehicle’s environment

➢ Stay hydrated

➢ Avoid medications that cause

drowsiness

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GET REST AND AVOID FATIGUE

➢ Be especially careful during late

night, early morning, and mid-

afternoon hours

➢ Make sure you take your break and

eat

➢ Stop every so often over long

distances

➢ Get out of your truck and stretch

throughout the day

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SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES

BUCKLE UP IT JUST MIGHT SAVE

YOUR LIFE!

➢More than 110,000 lives saved in 25 years

➢Prevent crashing into dashboard

➢Keep you inside vehicle

➢Strong bones take shock instead of delicate organs

➢Better chance of remaining conscious

➢Keeps you behind the wheel if you swerve or brake suddenly

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DON’T DRINK OR TAKE DRUGS

AND DRIVE

When on duty, never possess or use:

Opiates

Amphetamines

Narcotics

Alcohol

Any other substance that makes

you an unsafe driver

Alcohol and drugs impair:

➢ Ability to determine distances

➢ Reaction time

➢ Judgment

➢ Vision

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DON’T DRINK OR TAKE DRUGS

AND DRIVE

➢ Construction vehicles – enter and exit zones at low speeds and in unexpected places

➢ Workers and activities encroach into driving lanes

➢ Edge drop-offs

➢ Rough pavement

➢ Sharp turns

➢ Misleading old pavement markings

➢ Stay cautious and alert in work zones!

➢ Slow Down at work zones. Speeding tickets are twice the amount.

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WORK ZONE HAZARDS

➢ Reduce your speed

➢ Children are near - expect them to

come out of nowhere!

➢ Cover the brake

➢ Amber flashing lights = the bus is

about to stop

➢ Red flashing lights and the stop arm

extended = the bus is stopped

➢ Don’t pass a school bus with

flashing red lights or an extended

stop arm21

SAFETY AROUND SCHOOL BUSES

School buses mean children are

or may be near.

22

BICYCLISTS

Considerate: Bicyclists have the

same rights

Generous: Share the space & give

trailing room

Patient: Pass with care

Aware: Check your side view

mirror for bikes when opening

your vehicle’s door

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MOTORCYCLES

➢ Scan the roadway for hazards

➢ Cooperate with motorcyclists

➢ Use common sense, common

courtesy and follow the law

➢ Leave plenty of space - follow at

safe distance

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CARGO SECUREMENT

➢ Make sure your cargo is properly distributed

and adequately secured before you

operate the truck

➢ Check for any loose cases of product

➢ Use the butterfly bar to secure the cases in

the truck

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CONDUCT CIRCLE OF SAFETY

Be a defensive driver by not hitting

fixed objects

Walk around your vehicle

Check blind areas on right and

front

Adjust mirrors

Place cones when maneuvering in

tight quarters, parking and backing

up

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RIGHT-OF-WAY

➢ Entering traffic, merging, turning

left or right

➢ Do not force other drivers to brake

or steer

➢ Assume other drivers will not see you

➢ Move only after “right-of-way” has

been given to you

➢ The driver who arrives last gives right-of-way to those who were

already there. Give right-of-way when entering traffic, when

turning left in front of approaching traffic, and when changing

lanes.

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USING AND CHANGING LANES

➢ Keep a safe following distance – 4 second rule and

increase following distance in inclement weather

➢ Scan ahead – Vehicles in front of you

➢ Flash brake lights – flash your brake lights to alert drivers

following you

➢ Scan blind spot before changing lanes - Scan to the right

thoroughly before steering into the next lane

➢ Clean and adjust mirrors

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NEGOTIATING CURVES

Prevent rollover accidents by understanding how and

why rollovers occur and how to judge safe speed when

approaching and negotiating curves.

➢Reduce speed before entering curve – If you enter curves

too fast, you may not have enough time to slow down before rolling over.

➢Stay off the shoulder - Your right or left side wheels may drop or

sink down into a shoulder and increase your chance of rollover.

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NEGOTIATING CURVES

➢Ensure cargo is secured – Ensure that cargo loads are

secured to prevent moving from side to side. Use the butterfly bar to secure cases.

➢Top-heavy cargo more likely to roll over - Top-heavy

cargo will cause commercial vehicles to roll over in curves at speeds lower than those loaded with flat compact cargo.

➢Trailers roll first - Remember that since trailers usually begin to

roll first, you may not know you are rolling over until it is too late.

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CROSSING INTERSECTIONS

➢Assume cross traffic may not obey control signs

or signals

➢Allow enough time for your entire vehicle and

trailer to clear the road

➢Approaching drivers may not realize you have

a trailer attached

➢Keep side lights and reflectors clean

Turns are more difficult due to vehicle size.

➢Move to right lane and signal –

Move to the correct lane well in advance of the intersection, and position your vehicle to make a safe turn. If you cannot make the right turn without swinging into another lane, turn wide as you complete the turn. Do not turn wide to the left as you start the turn. A following driver may think you are turning left and try to pass you on the right. You may crash into the other vehicle as you complete your turn.

➢Wait for vehicles in other lanes –

If encroaching on other lanes, wait for other vehicles to clear and then turn slowly

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MAKING TURNS

➢Stop 15 to 50 feet of, and not closer than 15 feet

to the tracks

➢Stop and look both ways

➢Do not shift gears when crossing tracks

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CROSSING RAILROAD TRACKS

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PASSING

➢Make sure no one is passing you

➢Signal intention to pass

➢Watch driver you are passing

➢Watch for vehicles entering road

➢Watch approaching traffic

➢Do not get into a race

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PEDESTRIANS

➢Expect the unexpected

➢Pedestrians have difficulty judging vehicle

speed

➢Pedestrians assume you see them

➢Make sure they give you right-of-way

➢Scan blind spots

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REDUCED TRACTION

➢Increase your following distance to avoid rear-end

collision

➢Slow down

➢Apply brakes gently and steer smoothly

➢Brakes are more likely to lock up when lightly loaded

➢Slide sideways on banked curves

➢Slow down

➢Watch for stalled or slow-moving vehicles in

front of you

➢Turn on fog lamps

➢Keep lights and windshield clean

36

REDUCED VISIBILITY

Ask you supervisor if you need supplies

➢Flashlight

➢First-aid kits

➢Emergency Triangle Reflective Sign

➢Fire extinguisher

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CARRY EMERGENCY SUPPLIES

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EMERGENCY STOPPING

➢ Turn on flashers and coast to shoulder

➢ Set up emergency Triangle Reflective

Sign

➢ Call your supervisor

➢ Call 911 for emergencies – example

truck is on fire

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IF YOU’RE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT

➢ Call the police

➢ Call your supervisor

➢ Collect insurance and registration information of all parties involved in the

accident

➢ Call Sedgwick

➢ Get a copy of the police report

➢ Take pictures of the scene (all vehicles involved including your own)

➢ Don’t point blame or discuss fault

➢ Put your emergency flashers on and secure your vehicle