Following the Rules of the Road

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Professional Drivers Passenger car drivers are not professionals, as is quite evident from the way most operate their vehicles You however, as a professional driver, have the responsibility of following the rules of the road and often must compensate for other drivers bad driving decisions Take pride in the fact that you are a responsible safe driver 3

National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 500 Report Prepared by the Transportation Research BoardReport Findings Most would agree that truck drivers are better and safer drivers than those operating other vehicles on the roadways However, due to the size and weight factors of larger vehicles, truck crashes are more likely to result in a fatality, or serious injury 4

NCHRP Report 500 Findings Crashes involving trucks and passenger vehicles result in the passenger vehicle driver being cited at more than twice the rate of the truck driver Drivers of large vehicles tend to exceed the posted speed limit less often than passenger vehicle drivers When truck drivers do exceed the speed limit it is usually to a lesser degree than passenger vehicle drivers 5

NCHRP Report 500 Findings Educating the motoring public regarding ‘Sharing the Road’ with large trucks should continue to be an integral part of preventing future crashes involving large trucks vs. passenger cars A continued emphasis on educating the public relating to the ‘No-Zone’, should also be maintained The ‘No-Zone’ consists of areas around large trucks where the truck driver is unable to see vehicles, or surrounding objects (See illustration on next slide) 6

Areas around a large vehicle where the truck driver is unable to see other vehicles, or objects (The full No-Zone area directly behind the large truck not indicated on this slide) 7

Large Truck Crash Causation Study The LTCCS report was the first of its kind conducted on a comprehensive large scale The study involved many leading crash factors including driver, vehicle and weather 8

LTCCS Critical Events – All Truck crashes Over lane line or off road 25,000 32% Lost control (speeding, etc.)22,00029% Other vehicle in Lane18,00023% Turning, crossing intersection8,00010% Other (pedestrian, fire)4,0006% Total77,000100% C.E. not coded to truck64,000 EventsNumber% 9

LTCCS Critical Reason – Trucks, all Crashes Non-Performance (sleep, sick) 9,000 12% Recognition (inattention)22,000 28% Decision (speed, aggressive)29,000 38% Performance (overcompensate) 7,000 9% Vehicle8,000 10% Environment (roadway, weather)2,000 3% Total77, % C.R. not coded to Truck64,000 ReasonsNumber% 10

LTCCS C.R. – Truck/P.V. Crashes Driver Non-Performance3%16% Driver Recognition35%30% Driver Decision42%24% Driver Performance7%19% Vehicle8%4% Environment4%3% Unknown1%4% Total (when coded to vehicle)29,00037,000 Critical ReasonsTrucksP.V. 11

Predicting Truck Crash Involvement The American Transportation Research Institute completed a study of ‘Predicting Truck Crash Involvement’ in It is a follow-up to an original study done in

Top Five: Truck Driver Factor Indicators of Future Likelihood of Crash Involvement 2005 Findings Driver FactorsPercentage increase for likelihood of future crash Involvement 1) A Reckless Driving Violation325% Increase 2) An Improper Turn Violation105% Increase 3)An Improper/Erratic Lane Change (Conviction) 100% Increase 4)A Failure to Yield Right-of-Way (Conviction) 97% Increase 5)A Failure to maintain Proper Lane (Conviction) 91% Increase 13

Top Five: Truck Driver Factor Indicators of Future Likelihood of Crash Involvement Updated Study Findings (2011) Driver FactorsPercentage increase for likelihood of future crash Involvement 1)A Failure to Use/Improper Signal (Conviction) 96% Increase 2) A Past Crash88% Increase 3)An Improper Passing Violation 88% Increase 4)An Improper Turn (Conviction) 84% Increase 5)An Improper/Erratic Lane Change (Conviction) 80% Increase 14

Battling the Top Five Driver Factors of Future Crash Involvement Number #1 on the list Failure to Use/Improper Turn Signal (96%) Using your turn signal to indicate a turn will allow other drivers to slow down and make way for your vehicle to properly change lanes 1)It notifies other drivers of your intent to change lanes or complete a full left turn onto another roadway 2)It allows other drivers the opportunity to know of your intentions 3)It can prevent future crashes and citations 15

Battling the Top Five Driver Factors of Future Crash Involvement Number #2 on the list A Past Crash (88% Increase) Although it is impossible to erase past crashes, preventing future crash involvement may be achieved by: 1)Reviewing previous crashes with your safety director or through your crash prevention group of the company 2)Recognizing mistakes made and planning for prevention of those mistakes in the future 3)More training in areas of driver’s weaknesses should be considered and provided as needed 16

Battling the Top Five Driver Factors of Future Crash Involvement Number #3 on the list An Improper Passing Violation (88%) Due to the length and size of your vehicle, passing can present many driving issues When preparing to pass and overtaking other vehicles you should always: 1)Check all mirrors and potential blind spots (No- Zones) 17

Battling the Top Five Driver Factors of Future Crash Involvement Number #3 on the list An Improper Passing Violation (88%) When preparing to pass, and overtaking other vehicles you should always: 1)Activate your turn signal to notify other drivers of your intentions 2)When clear to do so begin the passing maneuver 3)Only pass when it is safe to do so 18

Battling the Top Five Driver Factors of Future Crash Involvement Number #3 on the list An Improper Passing Violation (88%) Never pass: 1)In clearly marked Work Zones 2)On Rural Roads where visibility is impaired Blind curves Animals on the road When inclement weather makes it impossible to do so safely 19

Battling the Top Five Driver Factors of Future Crash Involvement Number #4 on the list An Improper Turn violation (84%) Future crash or near crash incident prevention 1)Only turn where it is legal and safe to do so 2)Look for signage, One- Way, No left-turn allowed, No right-turn on red-light 3)Know your trucks limits, size and abilities and do not exceed them 20

Battling the Top Five Driver Factors of Future Crash Involvement Number #5 on the list An Improper/Erratic Lane Change conviction (80%) Future crash or near crash incident prevention 1)Erratic lane changes can often have deadly consequences 2)It is important to remain in your lane of travel 3)One of the first signs of driver fatigue is the inability to remain in your lane of travel 21

Battling the Top Five Driver Factors of Future Crash Involvement Number #5 An Improper/Erratic Lane Change conviction (80%) Erratic lane changes can lead to: 1)Dropping off the side of the road and overcorrection 2)Single vehicle rollover crashes 3)Forcing other drivers off the road 22

Battling the Top Five Driver Factors of Future Crash Involvement Prevention Steps 1)For short pick-me-ups have a cup of coffee or a caffeinated soft drink (These products are for short term use only and will never replace the human bodies need for proper rest) 2)Stop the vehicle and obtain the necessary rest your body needs Combating Improper/Erratic Lane Changes: 1)Ensure you obtain plenty of rest before you drive 2)Know the signs of fatigue a.Constant yawning b.Burning eyes c.Seeing things that aren’t there d.Eyes closing involuntarily e.Not remembering what transpired moments ago f.Crossing into other lanes of traffic or driving onto the shoulder of the roadway 23

Speeding Speeding was not listed in the Top Ten indicators of likelihood of future near- crash or crash incidents in the 2005 original LTCCS However, in the updated study it appears at number eight on the top ten list with a future crash likelihood increase of 67% 24

Following the Rules of the Road Following the rules of the road should be an everyday occurrence for the Professional Driver Commercial Vehicle Drivers have the opportunity to set the proper example for all drivers using the roadways These driver safety presentations have been developed through the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) “Operation Safe Driver” Program provided through a grant by FMCSA 25

Operation Safe Driver Mission Improve commercial and non-commercial driver behavior and performance through effective enforcement, education and awareness strategies. Message Improving highway safety for commercial vehicle operations starts with the driver. Highway crashes related to large trucks and buses account for 12 percent of the total highway fatal crashes. Focusing more attention on commercial and non-commercial drivers operating in an unsafe manner around commercial vehicles will save lives. 26

Outreach Training program(s); which include five Train-the-Trainer Kits that contain separate PowerPoint presentations, between 30 to 40 minutes each on the following subjects 1) Defeating Distracted Driving 2) Beyond Distracted Driving 3) Following the Rules of the Road 4) Defensive Driving/Driver Review I 5) Defensive Driving/Driver Review II 27

Web Site Access to files for downloading Train-the-Trainer Kits (5) Defeating Distracted Driving Beyond Distracted Driving Following the Rules of the Road Defensive Driving/Driver Review Part I Defensive Driving/Driver Review Part II DVDs (2) Defeating Distracted Driving New Entrant Drivers All training materials provided at no cost and available to meet your individual training needs 28

Thanks for your time! 29