Tag: ##driving

Distracted Driving Awareness Month: An opportunity to dialogue with employees

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
Original article published by J.J. Keller

Train on the dangers of multitasking while driving

April is Distracted Driving Awareness month. The annual safety campaign promotes discussion on risky driving behaviors, which cost over 3,500 people their lives in 2021.

Dialogue on distracted driving is not just for commercial drivers. Any employee who operates a fleet vehicle or a personal vehicle on behalf of your company should be trained on the dangers of distracted driving.

Keep your employees engaged during training

The topic of distracted driving has been promoted for several years. As a result, getting your employees’ attention may take some creativity, since some may have become desensitized to the message on the dangers of distracted driving.

Consider the following training tips:

  • Use real-life examples of crashes and the impact on those involved (fatality, injuries, jail time, financial ruin).
  • Have the trainees come up with a list of distractions, which forces them to think about the impact of multitasking while driving. Let them know it is more than just cell phone use. Tasks might include using a GPS, eating, drinking, and adjusting the radio, seats, mirrors, and vehicle’s temperature.
  • Illustrate how far a vehicle travels at 60 mph when performing different tasks.
  • Familiarize participants with your corporate policy on distracted driving.
  • Discuss appropriate actions to avoid multitasking while driving (pull over, adjust equipment prior to driving).

Use of technology

The use of a vehicle’s telematic data or dash cam video clip can help detect and reduce distractions.

The intent of monitoring drivers is not to punish them. It is to help prevent a serious crash. Those drivers identified as having close calls should be spoken with, coached, and/or required to take corrective action training.

This article was written by Kathy Close of J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

NSC to drivers: Be safe over July Fourth weekend

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

First published by Safety+Health an NSC publication.

Be safe over 4th of July Weekend

Itasca, IL — The National Safety Council is urging roadway users to be extra cautious during the July Fourth weekend – one of the most dangerous driving periods of the year.

“According to our estimates, 400-580 people may die on U.S. roads during the holiday weekend,” Mark Chung, NSC vice president, roadway practice, said. “The National Safety Council calls on everyone planning to travel for the holiday to follow our safe driving tips to ensure you get to where you want to go as safely as possible. Your life and those you love may depend on it.”

NSC offers six tips for safer driving:
Drive distraction-free. Thousands of people have died in motor vehicle-related crashes involving cellphone use. Put your phones away and #JustDrive.
Slow down. Speeding is a factor in more than a quarter of all traffic fatalities. Don’t drive faster than the posted speed limit, and pay attention to people walking and biking.
Designate a sober driver. Alcohol is only one cause of impaired driving. Drugs, including opioids, cannabis and some over-the-counter medicines, can impair drivers by causing drowsiness, altering visual functions, and affecting mental judgement and motor skills. Arrange alternative transportation if you plan to drink or do drugs.
Buckle up. Seat belts save lives. If kids will be in the car, make sure you have the appropriate car seats installed correctly.
Look before you lock. Last year, 25 children died in hot cars. With temperatures rising across the country, make it a priority to ensure you don’t leave the car without your child passengers.
Take an alternate path. For shorter trips, consider leaving the car at home and finding a safe biking or walking route to get where you’re headed.

For more tips, visit nsc.org/saferoads.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

FMCSA Road Safety Art Contest

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
First published by Safety+Health an NSC publication.

Gianna.jpg

Second grader Gianna Liu, from Hillsborough, NJ, won a top honor for her artwork in 2020. Photo: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is accepting entries until June 4 for its annual Road Safety Art Contest for students.

As part of FMCSA’s Our Roads, Our Safety campaign, designed to remind motorists to drive safely when sharing the road with commercial motor vehicles, the contest is open to students in kindergarten up to 12th grade. This year’s contest features new creative submission categories.

“Everyone on our roads has a responsibility to help keep each other safe,” the agency says on the contest webpage. “The annual FMCSA Road Safety Art Contest invites students to use their creativity to raise awareness of how to stay safe on the road, particularly when driving, biking or walking around large trucks and buses.”

Grand prize and honorable mention winners will be awarded in four categories: kindergarten-fifth grade, sixth-eighth grades, ninth-10th grades and 11th-12th grades. Winners will receive a framed copy of their artwork and an award certificate. The winning artwork will be featured in the contest’s winner announcement video, on FMCSA’s Kid Zone and Teen Zone websites, and in the 2022 Road Safety Art Contest Calendar.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, DOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Parking lot safety

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
parking-lot.jpg
First published by Safety+Health an NSC publication.

Parking lots can be a safety risk for workers, especially with the sun setting earlier during the winter months.

When you’re returning to your vehicle, always try to walk with a co-worker or security officer, the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety recommends. Then, give your escort a ride back to the building. Other tips:

  • Park in a highly visible and well-lit area near your building.
  • If you park in a garage, look for a spot near the parking attendant, if there is one, or near the stairs or a well-lit exit.
  • Use the main building entrance – avoid rear or secluded exits.
  • Have your keys out and ready as you approach your vehicle.
  • Don’t approach anyone loitering near your vehicle. Walk to a safe place or go back inside your workplace, and then call the police.
  • Lock the doors and keep the windows rolled up once you’re in the vehicle.

If you have to walk alone, follow these five tips:

  • Have a co-worker watch you from a window.
  • Wave to them on the way to your vehicle.
  • Wave even if no one is watching to give the illusion that someone is watching you return to your vehicle.
  • Always be alert to your surroundings. Keep your head up and look around.
  • Don’t wear headphones or talk on the phone. These devices can create distractions.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Fatigue, drinking among driver behaviors that contribute to ‘perennial crisis’: report

Posted on by Sarah
Photo: benkrut/iStockphoto

Austin, TX — More than 7 out of 10 people admit to driving drowsy, and nearly 1 in 4 say they’ve driven drunk, according to a recent report from online driving school DriversEd.com.

Researchers conducted an online survey of 957 licensed drivers. Results, published in the 2019 Behind-the-Wheel Confessions Report, show that 71% of the respondents reported they’ve driven while feeling drowsy, 24% admitted to driving drunk and 40% said they’ve experienced road rage.

“When it comes to driving safety, the country and its roadways are in a state of perennial crisis – and the situation is getting worse, largely thanks to phones, texting and social media,” Laura Adams, safety and education analyst for DriversEd.com, said in a May 31 press release.

Other findings:

  • 89% of the respondents said they’ve exceeded the speed limit.
  • 58% said they’ve rolled past a stop sign without making a complete stop.
  • 47% said they’ve run a red light.
  • 31% said they check their cell phone more often than they should.

“For each and every one of these hazardous behind-the-wheel behaviors, there are solutions – from checking your eyesight and hearing to assigning a designated driver to setting calendar reminders to inspect your tires to meditating before driving to simply exercising self-discipline,” Adams said.

Drivers operating on four to five hours of sleep are four times more likely to be involved in a traffic incident, according to the National Safety Council, which recommends getting at least seven hours of sleep before driving, and stopping to rest every two hours during long commutes.