Fleets invest a lot of time and energy into ensuring their drivers’ safety. While this often means adhering to safety regulations, following the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA’s) rulings is just the tip of the safety iceberg. Truck drivers themselves are a great source for revealing safety issues that affect them on a regular basis.

The following are some of the most frequently cited safety challenges truck drivers encounter while on the road:

  1. Passenger vehicles making dangerous maneuvers. This is a difficult issue as it is out of truck drivers’ control. Other motorists cut off commercial vehicles, which often leaves them without enough stopping distance. If truck drivers need to break suddenly after a motorist cuts in front of them, they can find themselves in a dangerous situation.
  2. Passenger vehicles not using turn signals. Even when motorists allow enough room to merge, many of them are neglecting to use their turn signal before they do so. Turn signals give truck drivers a heads up and allow them to adjust as necessary.
  3. Too much speeding. Speeding is dangerous for several reasons. While crashes at high speed are more likely to be lethal, speeding also has far-reaching effects that can interfere with traffic patterns. Drivers that speed have to hit the brakes hard and fast to avoid an accident. This causes a chain reaction for the drivers behind them. For truck drivers, this means looking down the road for traffic changes—not just at the taillights in front of them.
  4. Driver Fatigue. A serious concern, as drivers operating on limited sleep suffer similar symptoms to those under the influence of alcohol. Sometimes, stopping to get out of the truck and walk around a bit is enough to reinvigorate a driver; other times, they need to pull over and get some rest. Drivers need to know their limits and make smart decisions to avoid fatigue-related accidents.
  5. Texting/using a phone while driving. This is something that motorists and truck drivers alike struggle with while behind the wheel. Engaging in auto-responder services can help as it eliminates the lure of checking a new text message or email while driving.

Truck drivers spend the majority of their time working behind the wheel. It behooves fleets to consider their concerns when developing safety training and safety improvement initiatives. DriverCheck is dedicated to improving fleet safety with innovative solutions. Contact us to learn how we can help your transportation business.