Occupational Driving Consider the Risks Sandra Wilson, OSACH
Session Outline Who is driving for work purposes? What are the risks factors? How can I minimize these risks? 2
What do you think? True or false: Almost one in three workplace fatalities involve motor vehicles? 3
TRUE Motor vehicle collisions are the greatest single cause of traumatic workplace fatalities in Ontario. Between 2000 and 2005, it is estimated that vehicle crashes were responsible for 199 work related deaths, accounting for more than 30% of all work-related traumatic fatalities. Roadsafe.ca 4
Why should you have a Safe Driving Program? Fewer collisions and injuries to employees Lower insurance, fuel and maintenance costs Less time spent on investigation and training Better client service 5
Who is driving for work purposes? Review positions and duties to determine who is travelling: Short distances or long distances Periodically or everyday The entire shift or a small portion of the shift Urban or rural Night or day Categorize as high / medium / low risk 6
Because of the variety of factors, safe driving programs exist across a spectrum: High Risk Medium Risk Low Risk 7
What makes driving so risky? You only have control over yourself and your vehicle Not the road conditions / weather Not the other drivers Not the deer that jumps out Not the 8
Risk Factors Driver Performance Vehicle Driving Environment Work Practices Materials or people transported 9
Driver performance Driving history Experience Risky driving habits Distracted driving Aggressive driving Drowsy driving Under the influence of drugs or alcohol 10
What do you think? Your risk of a collision is doubled if you take your eyes off the road for more than: 2 seconds 4 seconds 6 seconds 11
Distracted Driving Taking your eyes off the road for more than two seconds doubles your risk of a collision. In 2003, collisions involving distracted drivers in Ontario resulted in more than 14, 000 injuries and 75 fatalities 85% of Canadians said they had engaged in at least one act of aggressive driving in the previous year; 72% blamed it on stress and frustration Your chances of getting into a collision are 4 times higher when you talk on your cell phone. RoadSafe.ca 12
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Distracted Driving Cell phone Passengers Looking at maps / newspapers Adjusting the radio or comfort controls Eating, drinking, smoking Grooming activities On-board telemetries Reaching for items in the passenger or back seats 14
Distracted driving Establish guidelines for use of cell phones Educate drivers on: The various types of distractions The risks associated with distracted driving 15
FACT Virginia Tech Observational Study 80 % of collisions involved Driver Distraction 93% of rear end collisions 60% of minor collisions 16
Aggressive Driving Speed is one of the biggest killers on Ontario's roads. Many people admit to speeding even though they know it's unsafe. Drivers who exceed the speed limit by 30 km/h or more are about 6 times more likely to kill or injure themselves. As your driving speed increases, your time to react decreases. Roadsafe.ca 17
Drowsy Driving Driving after 19 hours without sleep is like driving with more than half the legal blood alcohol limit. Driving drowsy can be as deadly as driving drunk. At highway speeds, you can travel 30 metres in the blink of an eye. Fatigue is a factor in 15% of motor vehicle collisions, resulting in 400 deaths, and 2,100 serious injuries every year in Canada Roadsafe 18
Drowsy Driving Be cognizant of scheduling shifts Allow breaks for long duration driving, and encourage drivers to recognize when they are tired Offer other modes of transportation if possible Be aware of drowsiness effects of medication 19
Driver Performance Gather information on driver history and experience: Driver s abstract Third party driving review Travel with the employee the first few times out to observe their driving behaviours 20
Driver Performance Offer training and information to correct risky behaviours: Video to view Posters Classroom training or brochures Driver risky habits questionnaire Defensive driving session 21
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What do you think? True or false: Red or white vehicles are the easiest to see under good visibility conditions. 23
What do you think? True or false: Red or white vehicles are the easiest to see under good visibility conditions. True (Land Transport Safety Authority 2002) 24
Vehicle Maintenance Safety features Pre-trip inspections Special features 25
Maintenance Maintenance following the manufacturer s instructions One person is responsible for ensuring regular company vehicle maintenance An annual safety inspection is conducted 26
Safety features Seat belts for all seats in the vehicle Driver and passenger side air bags ABS brakes and staff training in their use Automatic daytime running lights Rear window defogger Back-up beeper for vans 27
Pre-trip inspections A checklist is available Employees know what to look for (i.e. hoses, brakes, fluid levels, etc.) Employees know what to do if the pre-trip inspection finds faults 28
What do you think? Most collisions occur during: clear weather rain or fog icy conditions 29
Four out of five serious collisions happen in clear weather Sixty-five per cent are on dry roads Transport Canada s Road Safety Report for 2003 30
Driving Environment Weather conditions Traffic conditions/construction/congestion Rural vs. urban Wildlife 31
Driving Environment Post current weather and road-condition reports during bad weather Stay abreast of construction areas and high-risk intersections Provide education on averting wildlife collisions 32
What do you think? True or false: Friday is the safest day to drive. 33
Most fatal collisions occur on a Friday or Saturday Tuesday is the safest day to drive Most collisions occur between 3 and 6 pm 34
Work Practices Scheduling Preparing for the drive Organizational Culture 35
Scheduling Appointments follow a logical progression Avoid long drives in the afternoon Allow sufficient time for rest breaks Avoid routes that are considered more dangerous or under construction Encourage employee reporting of time management issues related to schedules 36
Preparing for the drive Check weather and road conditions Bring along essential addresses and phone numbers Adjust vehicle features before driving Establish a reporting process so that someone is aware of your destination and expected time of arrival 37
Materials or people transported Dangerous materials Special client needs Violence prevention 38
Possible controls across the spectrum: Higher Risk Road driving course Third party driving assessment Defensive driving course Annual vehicle safety inspection for personal vehicles Document inspections of company vehicles Driver s abstract for high risk drivers Proof of insurance for business use Lower Risk Copy of current Driver s Licence Preventive Maintenance program from company vehicles Require workers to notify supervisor if driving status changes 39
Assessing Program Needs Assess organizational history: Past incidents Investigation results Inspection results Employee feedback Industry statistics Review relevant legislation 40
Incident Reporting How can you increase the reporting of incidents? Clearly communicate which incidents need to be reported Establish a culture where employees can report without fear of blame or punitive action 41
Investigation Why should you investigate? 42
Assessing Program Needs Assess legislated requirements: Provincial or Federal Occupational Health and Safety legislation Provincial Highway Traffic Act Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act Criminal Code of Canada 43
Is it working? Select indicators Increase in compliance with safe driving procedures Increase in compliance with completing vehicle pre-trip inspection Changes in employee risky behaviours Decrease in motor vehicle incidents Decrease in severity of employee injuries 44
Goal is Safe Driving A combination of attitudes, ability and behaviours, such as: Placing a high value on driving safely and following the rules of the road Choosing the safe path in spite of pressures to rush or cut corners Preparing for the journey in advance by being rested, planning the safest route and ensuring the vehicle is safe Driving defensively by being alert and looking for potential hazards 45
Resources Roadsafe.ca www.wsib.on.ca www.mto.gov.on.ca 46
Questions? Concerns? Comments? 47