DRIVING SAFETY III DRIVING HAZARDS

Transcription

1 Safety Training Topic DRIVING SAFETY III DRIVING HAZARDS Purpose of Meeting To remind workers that distracted or unsafe driving can result in a serious injury. To reince driving safety rules. To consider ways to drive safely to avoid accidents and injuries. Materials and Materials and Preparation A copy of the written driving safety rules or policy. Note to Trainer Enter your name and the training date on the Training Sign In Sheet. Have each attendee sign the Training Sign In Sheet next to their name. Use this page your reference and give attendees copies of the remaining pages. CSRMA Tailgate Topic 2008 DKF Solutions LLC Page 1

2 DRIVING HAZARDS DRIVING SAFETY III-DRIVING HAZARDS Distracted Driving Taking one's eyes off the road presents obvious risks activities that take a driver's mind away from driving are just as risky. A driver's ability to manage distractions varies widely and can change from day to day depending on the level of stress and fatigue. Distracted drivers often fail to recognize potential hazards in the road and react more slowly to traffic conditions, decreasing their "margin of safety." Do you know when you are driving distracted? You are probably distracted from your driving if: A passenger in your car had screamed or gasped because of something you did or did not do. You ran a stop sign unintentionally. You slammed on your brakes because you didn t see the car in front of you stop. You don t remember driving from one place to another. Activities that can distract you while you are driving Talking with other passengers Changing radio stations or looking CDs or tapes Eating or drinking Making or taking cell phone calls Sending or receiving text messages Responding to a beeper or pager Talking with other passengers Changing radio stations or looking CDs or tapes CSRMA Tailgate Topic 2008 DKF Solutions LLC Page 2

3 DRIVING SAFETY III-DRIVING HAZARDS Activities that can distract you while you are driving Eating or drinking Making or taking cell phone calls Sending or receiving text messages Responding to a beeper or pager Dealing with children in the rear seat Reading a map or directions Personal grooming Reading printed material Using wireless remote Internet access Using telematics such as in-car navigation or crash avoidance systems Recognize that driving requires your fullattention don t be distracted. Fatigued Driving When behind the wheel, you always need to be alert and focused. Drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 crashes each year, resulting in 40,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths. Crashes caused by drowsy driving are often serious crashes and occur most often on high-speed rural highways when the driver is alone. Drowsy driving can happen to anyone. A recent study revealed that one half (51%) of adults have driven while drowsy and 17% report having fallen asleep while driving within the past year. Warning Signs of Fatigue Some warning signs of fatigue: You can t remember the last few miles driven. You hit a rumble strip or drifted from your lane. Your thoughts are wandering and disconnected. You yawn repeatedly. CSRMA Tailgate Topic 2008 DKF Solutions LLC Page 3

4 Warning signs of Fatique DRIVING SAFETY III-DRIVING HAZARDS You have difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open. You tailgate or miss traffic signs. You have trouble keeping your head up. You keep pulling your vehicle back into the lane. Avoid Fatigued Driving Be aware of your behavior and the behavior of others on the road during the late night, early morning, and midafternoon hours when drowsy driving crashes are most likely to occur. Get a full night of rest bee driving. If you become tired while driving, stop. A short nap (15 to 45 minutes) and consuming caffeine can help temporarily. Stop at regular intervals when driving long distances. Get out of the car every 2 hours to stretch and walk briskly. Set a realistic goal the number of miles you can safely drive each day. Avoid taking medications that cause drowsiness. Aggressive Driving When commuting to and from work and traveling work purposes, you can often find yourself caught up in bottlenecks and traffic delays, wasting time and reducing productivity. These situations create a high level of frustration that can spark aggressive driving behavior. Aggressive Actions Actions that are defined by many Americans as aggressive: Tailgating Making rude gestures Passing on the shoulder Pulling into parking space someone else is waiting CSRMA Tailgate Topic 2008 DKF Solutions LLC Page 4

5 DRIVING SAFETY III-DRIVING HAZARDS Aggressive Actions Failing to yield to merging traffic Flashing high beams at the car in front of you Waiting until the last second to merge with traffic Changing lanes without signaling Driving through a yellow light that is turning red Honking the horn Double-parking Driving 10 mph or more under the speed limit Avoid Aggressive Driving Correct your own unsafe driving habits that are likely to endanger, antagonize, or provoke other drivers. Keep your cool in traffic; be patient and courteous to other drivers and don t take their actions personally. If you think you have a problem, seek help. Look anger or stress management classes or self-help books. Reduce your stress on the road by allowing plenty of time to reach your destination. If you re going to be late, accept the fact. Make every attempt to safely move out of an aggressive driver s way. If a hostile motorist tries to pick a fight, do not make eye contact and do not respond. Ignore gestures and refuse to return them. Foul Weather Driving Bad weather affects all roads. Our interstate system is a marvelous example of modern engineering, but no matter how good the road is, it is dangerous when there is sleet, snow, or ice on the roadway. Speed must be reduced on slippery roads. CSRMA Tailgate Topic 2008 DKF Solutions LLC Page 5

6 DRIVING SAFETY III-DRIVING HAZARDS Safe Driving in Foul Weather When road conditions are slippery, drivers must look farther ahead so they can anticipate emergencies and avoid the need sudden maneuvers. Most skids are caused by last-second stops and turns on slippery pavements. Extra care must be taken on hills. Brake over the top of blind hills at a speed that will permit you to bring your vehicle to a stop in case the highway isn't clear ahead. On a downgrade, both loss of traction and gravity are working against you. Don't attempt to drive around or through a scene where other vehicles have obviously had trouble with the road conditions. The same conditions that caused their trouble may still be there when you arrive. When there is no room to get through, you must be prepared to stop. During the winter months, snow- and Icecovered truck lots are prevalent. Good drivers will allow more clearance between their vehicles and fixed objects when maneuvering on bad surfaces. A pile of snow or an ice rut may throw vehicles off just enough to cause them to strike a stationary object if not enough clearance has been allowed. Drivers of vehicles with air brakes must take care to protect their air supply in freezing weather. Brakeline freeze can be annoying and dangerous. Many newer trucks are equipped with synthetic air lines, so the old solution of melting the ice with a fuse or torch is no longer a quick solution. If the vehicle is not equipped with an air dryer or other means of automatically expelling water and other contaminants from air tanks, the driver must take the time to manually drain the air tanks every day. CSRMA Tailgate Topic 2008 DKF Solutions LLC Page 6

7 Safe Driving in Foul Weather DRIVING SAFETY III-DRIVING HAZARDS The lighting systems of vehicles become especially important during the winter months. Nights are longer, and visibility is often reduced by bad weather. Electrical systems are winter-sensitive. Approximately 80 percent of all light bulb failure is due to environmental reasons. Drivers must inspect their lights more often during the winter and clean them when necessary so they can see and be seen by other highway users. Foul weather driving is much more strenuous. Drivers need proper rest bee every trip, and while enroute, fresh air helps keep drivers alert. An open window is an old safety practice, and it helps drivers hear what is going on around their vehicles. After all precautions are taken and good practices are followed, there still will be occasions when conditions become too hazardous to proceed. Good drivers will pull off the road at the first safe place, notify their companies of the delay, and wait until conditions improve bee continuing. Conclusion A basic understanding of how to drive safely can go a long way reducing your risk of injury on the job. Think about the job you're perming and the principles outlined in this training. Take the time to perm the job safely. CSRMA Tailgate Topic 2008 DKF Solutions LLC Page 7