Distracted Driving and Defensive Driving for SC Commercial Fleets A Corporate Call to Action
Todd Buehrig Director of Advancement Melissa Reck Training & Development Coordinator 2
Who is SCNSC? The Southeastern Chapter National Safety Council is a joint membership chapter of the National Safety Council serving the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Our vision is to be regarded as the one source for safety and health education and training for business and the community through the delivery of quality programs and instruction. Our purpose is to educate and influence people to prevent injury and death and to make our world a safer place. 3
Distracted Driving And the Growing Epidemic of Cell Phone Use While Driving
Distracted Driving The single largest contributing factor to traffic crashes today 5
Distracted Driving Definition Driving while engaged in other activities Talking on a cell phone Texting Eating, drinking Watching a video Reading Anything that requires you to take one or both hands off the steering wheel Anything that takes your mind off the driving task at hand 6
Risks of Distraction Doubles rear-end collision risk Slows reaction time Miss traffic signals, signs and exits Miss half the information in driving environment look but not see Increases traffic violations Increases risk of injury crash four times 7
What are the implications for employers? 8
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Distracted Driving In October 2010, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) enacted a ban on texting while driving for all commercial motor vehicle drivers This ban can be found in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) Part 392.80 10
Understanding Distracted Driving Three types of distractions: Visual Distractions Manual Distractions Cognitive Distractions 11
Visual Distraction Anything that shifts a driver s eyes away from the road to something unrelated to the primary task of driving EXAMPLES: billboard, accident scene, looking at street signs 12
Manual Distraction Anything that causes a driver to remove one or both hands from the wheel or other driving controls EXAMPLES: eating, tuning the radio, programming a GPS, texting or dialing a cell phone 13
Cognitive Distraction Anything that takes a driver s mind, thoughts or mental attention away from the task of driving EXAMPLES: daydreaming, anger, anxiety, fatigue, pain or worry 14
During a 3-second glance at a cell phone or other device, a vehicle traveling 55 mph will move approximately 250 feet down the road, or nearly the length of a football field! 3 Second Drill Glancing away from the road for more than one second can lead to a damaged bumper, a few dents OR a devastating crash 15
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Cell Phone Policy Employers have realized the dangers of cell phone use while driving and are taking action by implementing policies to prevent cell phone distracted driving. 17
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NSC Free Cell Phone Policy Kit The National Safety Council recommends policies that prohibit both hands-free and handheld devices and apply to all employees. Learn the facts by downloading the FREE Cell Phone Policy Kit. http://safety.nsc.org/cellphonekit 19
Downloadable Resources Include: Sample policy Communications to build management support Employee communications roll out calendar Answers to frequently asked questions Mythbusters info Activities to build employee buy-in Posters Newsletter articles Stories from families affected by crashes Cognitive distraction white paper Employer liability white paper And much more! 20
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Discussion Questions Ø Do you know someone who drives while distracted? Ø Is there any part of your job that requires you to drive while distracted? Ø What discipline or remedies would you recommend? Ø How would you help prevent someone you know from driving while distracted? 22
Commercial Defensive Driving Driving is Your Business 23
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Defensive Driving Defined As defined in the National Safety Council s Defensive Driving Course Defensive Driving is: Driving to save lives, time and money, regardless of the conditions around you and the actions of others. In discussing defensive driving, we use the word collision instead of accident. While often tragic, a collision is an incident in which the driver failed to do everything reasonable to avoid it. 25
Does your company have a safe driver program? Many motor vehicle crashes occur during the workday or during the commute to and from work. Employers bear the cost for injuries that occur both on and off the job. Whether you manage a fleet of vehicles, oversee a mobile sales force or simply employ commuters, by implementing a driver safety program in the workplace you can greatly reduce the risks faced by your employees and their families while protecting your company's bottom line. OSHA Guidelines for Employers to Reduce Motor Vehicle Crashes 26
Cost of a Commercial Truck Collision The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration breaks down average truck collision costs this way: Basic health and property damage: $334,892 When a semi-truck is pulling multiple trailers: $1.2 million When a semi-truck accidents results in fatality: $7.2 million This price tag can vary greatly depending on the extent of damage involved, what caused the incident (speeding vs. a mechanical defect), and the types of injuries an individual suffered. For example, if a permanent disability occurred, that number would likely become much higher due to the life-long care that would become necessary. 27
Impact on Public Relations In addition to financial loss, with the rise of Social Media's influence on spreading the negative publicity and poor public relations, a deeper impact can be made on a company's goodwill. The 2014 crash involving a Walmart company truck and a limousine carrying comedian, Tracy Morgan, leaving one dead and several injured in the crash, as well as the pending lawsuit, has been a public relations nightmare for Walmart. 28
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Defensive Driving Driving to protect others is the number-one ethical issue that commercial drivers must accept. Every company should have the same safety philosophy: Save lives Reduce injuries Protect resources Reduce liability 30
Defensive Driving Techniques #1 Seat Belt Number one on the list of defensive driver techniques is the use of your own seat belt A high percentage of truck driver fatalities involve a driver being ejected from the vehicle In order to drive defensively, you must remain behind the wheel of your vehicle to better control any type of driving situation 31
Center for Disease Control (CDC) Recent Report Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Findings There were over 317,000 motor vehicle crashes involving large trucks in 2012. Cost estimates for these truck and bus crashes will have affected our economy here in the U. S. by nearly $99 billion dollars. Seat Belt Usage Everyone acknowledges that seat belts save lives. However, statistics gathered from the reported accidents indicated that one out of every three truck drivers who died in a crash were not wearing their seat belts. For many of these drivers, simply buckling up would have saved their lives. 32
CDC Report Findings Driver s who reported never using their seat belts also stated that they: Worked for a company that had no written safety program Often drove more than 10 mph over the posted speed limit Had received two or more citations for moving violations in the previous 12 month period Lived in a state which had no primary seat belt law 33
Defensive Driving Techniques #2 Safety Culture & Practices Statistics indicate that truck drivers operate in a relatively safe manner As truck drivers you need to be aware of the capabilities of the vehicle we are driving A larger vehicle requires: A greater turning radius A greater distance to stop More space within its lane of travel 34
Defensive Driving Techniques #3 Speeding Speeding continues to be a factor in Crash Involvement In inclement weather or any adverse driving situation slow down Speed on wet roads should be reduced by 1/3 of the posted speed limit 35
Defensive Driving Techniques #4 Fatigue According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) at least 100,000 police reported crashes are the direct result of driver fatigue each year. Result = 1,550 deaths and 71,000 injuries 36
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Professional Truck Driver Training The National Safety Council offers a professional truck driver training program to keep your fleet safe. The course conforms to current U.S. Department of Transportation standards. The Defensive Driving Course Professional Truck Driver (DDC-PTD) is ideal for training large groups of drivers. You can: Purchase the materials and teach the course at your facility immediately Enroll your drivers in DDC-PTD at an NSC Training Facility. 39
Online and Self-Study Options For an affordable, flexible option, consider enrolling your drivers in an online or a self-study course. Either option is ideal if your fleet s schedule makes it impossible to gather all your drivers together in one place. The online course requires a computer and internet access; the self-study course does not. nsc.org/learn/safety-training/pages/professional-truck-drivertraining.aspx 40
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Thank You for your time! 42