Important Driver Safety Tips for Your Fleet

We can’t say it enough – safety is always our first priority, especially for our drivers. But finding ways to keep your drivers safe isn’t a task that is accomplished overnight. It requires a lot of planning, consulting with experts, and learning from the drivers themselves. While there are many components to creating a safe environment for every driver, encouraging your team to be aware of their surroundings will go a long way in increasing safety for everyone on the road.

Weather

Has rain been predicted? Are those snow clouds in the distance?  Every driver needs to stay up-to-date on the weather for any destination they drive to. This will not only allow them to prepare for unplanned emergencies, but also plan their route in a way that maximizes their safety.

For those truckers completing longer, multi-state routes, it is especially valuable to check the weather report at every stop. Many states that neighbor each other experience vastly different weather conditions, and it is never safe to assume that you know what type of weather you will be going into, even if you have driven through that particular area before.

Terrain

It’s important to know what kind of roads you will be traveling on. Whether it’s navigating your rig through an area known for terrible road conditions, or delivering to a company that is not on a paved road, it’s critical to look ahead to see what type of terrain you will be dealing with.

This doesn’t only apply to the physical road – you also need to be aware of your truck’s surroundings and potential surrounding. Many delivery destinations may claim to have ample room for your truck to park and turn around, when that simply isn’t the case. Other obstacles to look out for could include low fire hydrants, ditches, and other types of physical hurdles that could make maneuvering your truck impossible.

Traffic

How many times has a driver in a slower lane on a crowded interstate taken the opportunity to slip their own vehicle in front of your truck? This is a common problem for many heavy truck drivers, and it is just one of the reasons that it is essential for you to leave plenty of room on the road between you and other drivers. You already know that keeping your truck well-maintained is a huge component of your driving safety, and you feel confident in your vehicle’s ability to stop on time as a result. Still, it’s also crucial to leave the proper amount of space between you and any obstacles on the road to ensure the highest level of safety.

It’s also a good idea to avoid high-traffic areas as much as possible. Oftentimes, you may find that the directness of your route clashes with the traffic in the area, but do your best to avoid gridlock traffic and crowded roads.

This is far from an exhaustive list of ways your drivers can maintain their safety on the road, but starting with these concepts will help you build a work environment focused on safety and driven by success.

More on Dickinson Fleet Services

Headquartered in Indianapolis, Dickinson Fleet Services (DFS) has grown to become one of the largest independent fleet maintenance and management companies in the country. DFS is the leading provider of on-site mobile maintenance and repair services nationwide, offering mobile on-site maintenance and repair services for light, medium and heavy-duty trucks and trailers with over 450 mobile units operating nationwide. DFS services fleet customers with 23 maintenance facilities each offering select services from accident repair, paint, refurbishment and dedicated technician services, combined with an in-house CARES CALL center providing 24/7 repair assistance. DFS has made significant investments in training and technology, including WebWrench® (maintenance tracking and scheduling through proprietary technology) and TRAIT® (real-time reporting and dynamic preventative maintenance inspections processed through a proprietary field service application) and is the only fleet services company in the nation to provide both fleet maintenance and management to its customers nationwide. www.dickinsonfleet.com