Space Management & Protective Driving

Protect the Public  You are less likely to die in a crash with a car than the car driver  Must protect the public as well as yourself  By protecting the public you protect yourself and your company

Who is More Likely to Be Injured?

Characteristics of an Unprofessional Driver  Tailgates and intimidates  Cuts people off  Changes lanes unnecessarily  Excessive speed  Rude, vulgar on CB to other drivers  Thinks the bigger vehicle will win

Characteristics of a Professional Driver  Courteous  Attentive  “Senses” what others will do…or not do  Does not make risky moves  Allows a “safety cushion” around the truck  Obeys traffic laws  Safety is #1 priority

What is the Big Deal?  People remember the one bad driver  They forget the good drivers  Public perception of the industry  Bad perception -- more punitive damages  Less respect  Self-fulfilling prophecy – if you think nobody cares then you start to think you shouldn’t either

Managing Your Space  Space management is the key to accident prevention  Always be aware of what is around you  Be prepared to compensate for the mistakes of others

Keep a Safety Cushion Try to leave space all around your vehicle... Why are the shaded areas so important?

What You Can’t See Can Hurt You

Using Your Mirrors Keep clean Keep adjusted properly Lean and Look Scan every 3-5 seconds Identify what is in mirrors Know your blind spots

Protect Your Blind Spots Do not open yourself up Stay in the right lane as much as possible Use caution at entrance/exit ramps Use signals to warn drivers Only go when you are sure its clear

I know this is not always easy to do...

Leave Yourself a “Way Out” Safety cushion leaves you an out Try not to get boxed in Always leave the proper following distance Remember at 65 mph a car stops 209 feet faster than a truck Remember you only have 4 evasive options

4 Evasive Maneuvers STOP GO RIGHT GO LEFT DRIVE THRU

You Never Know What Is Around The Next Corner

But People Take Away My Safety Cushion!!!! If you are going through a city and 500 people cut in front of you If each time you backed off 2 seconds That only amounts to 16 minutes Is that worth saving your livelihood? Is that worth saving a life?

What Affects Your Stopping Distance? Load Road conditions Reaction time Vehicle condition Weather condition Type of vehicle Tires Driver condition

What Causes Rear-end Crashes?  Inattention ?  Over confidence ?  Fatigue ?  Physics…cars stop faster than trucks. Truck doesn’t leave room to compensate for difference. Truck runs over car.

What do these words mean?  Perception time  Reaction time  Brake lag Perception time – the time it takes you to recognize that there is a hazard present. (estimated to be 1 ¾ seconds) Brake lag – time it takes the air in the system to activate the brakes. (1/2 second) Reaction time – the time it takes you to make a move such as get your foot off the gas and onto the brake. (around 3/4 second)

Car vs. Truck Stopping Distance

Rear-ends…the Facts Account for 9% of reported truck collisions Account for 20% of money paid on claims Preventable almost 100% of the time Impossible to defend in court

Sad Reality of the Rear-end Crash  Who usually is riding in the back of a vehicle?  CHILDREN & DOGS  8 children killed every week in truck/car accidents

Factors in MOST Crashes  Speed  Poor following distance  Failure to adjust to conditions  Inattention  Aggressive Driving

Check Your Ego at the Door Just because someone else is driving aggressively does not mean you have to join in the stupidity Do not speed up to block someone from passing, cutting in, or changing lanes

This Is Not What I Mean

There is A Lot Riding on Your Decisions! You are the professional Your livelihood depends on it Your family depends on it Your life depends on it

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING HAVE A SAFE TRIP