A recent op-ed in the New York Times chastised the trucking industry and Congress for lax attitudes toward safety. The article, written by freelancer Howard Abramson, who was an executive at the American Trucking Association for 15 years, highlighted some disturbing statistics. For example, this year alone, traffic collisions involving large trucks killed more people than [...]
“Collision” and “accident” sound like interchangeable terms; however, there is a significant difference in meaning when it comes to commercial driving safety and legal liability. To better understand the nuances at play here, let’s start with some definitions. Simply stated, “accident” denotes a non-preventable incident for which the driver has no responsibility. “Collision” refers to an [...]
Traffic fatalities are up 14 percent this year, according to a study just out from the National Safety Council (NSC). From a high of 43,510 fatalities in 2005, traffic deaths had declined by 25 percent, to 32,719, in 2013. In the first six months of 2015, however, approximately 19,000 people have lost their lives in [...]
We’re all familiar with the concept of defensive driving. But let’s stop a moment and identify the attributes of an ideal defensive driver. Here is a list of ten of them. Defensive drivers: Are always ready with preventative measures, in advance of when they are needed. Carefully monitor the actions of other drivers, adjusting for [...]
A recent Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration study cited the top causes of large truck collisions in 967 crashes involving at least one truck. The study included 1,127 large trucks and 959 other types of motor vehicles. These crashes resulted in 251 deaths and 1,408 injuries. Let’s look at some of the most common causes [...]
Does your transportation company need to develop a driver training system that will be accessible online and across a wide variety of mobile devices? Online driver training is fast becoming the norm for fleet operators to accommodate varying driver schedules, skills and compliance requirements. Business owners and managers need to ensure their drivers are properly [...]