Tips to Improve Fleet Driver Safety

Make sure that drivers are well rested: Drivers who are tired suffer from symptoms including loss of attention, slower reactions, poor judgment and deterioration of vigilance. A loss of alertness and response time can also contribute to or cause accidents.

Always use mirrors: Trucks have huge blind spots that dwarf the blind spots of other vehicles. Make sure your truckers adjust their mirrors and are instructed to use them always.

Using Turn Signals Consistently: Drivers who have been on the road for a while tend to get lazy. This can lead to neglecting to use turn signals to warn other drivers. This includes changing lanes a practice that many people neglect. This is a dangerous habit that managers should warn their crews about.

Look out for motorcycles: Just because motorcycles are among the smallest vehicles on the road does not mean that they are not out there and that they do not – under certain circumstances – have the right of way. Be extra careful to check mirrors and blind spots for them.

Control your speed: Fleet drivers have timetables to meet and are expected to reach their destinations with minimal delay. However, simply being pressed for time does not excuse speeding which can be more costly in the long run than any schedule disruption.

At Pacific Driver Education we are more than just interested in keeping your company out of the headlines – and court. We think about your fleet and its impact on the roadways almost as much as you do. That is why we offer fleet driver education from instructors who are certified by the DMV and ODOT Transportation Safety Division. They are knowledgeable and understand your desire to manage risk in the most effective way possible. Our instructors work with many corporations in the Portland area and are determined to help make America’s roadways safer and your team better drivers.