Due to the increasing number of vehicles on the road each day, vehicle accidents and fatalities continue to be a concern across the industry. Commercial truck drivers cannot afford to be distracted on the road – you can endanger yourself and others, damage your record and risk your job, as well as career.
Once you’ve put these 4 practical tips into action, you’ll be ready to steer clear of these typical cab distractions, keeping you entirely focused on the miles.
4 Crucial Tips to Eliminate Distracted Driving
Tip 1: Maintain Total Road Focus
By focusing carefully on the road immediately ahead, you are more observant of your environment and can respond to sudden driving actions in a timely and safe manner and can foresee driving problems before they materialize.
- The Risks of Inattention: Research by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that nearly 80% of crashes involved driver inattention in the three seconds leading up to the incident.
- External Hazards: An estimated 11,000 truck crashes nationwide involved distractions outside the cab, such as billboards or roadside advertisements. Always minimize the time you spend looking away from the road ahead.
Tip 2: Never Text and Drive
Using your cell phone while driving your work vehicle is also very unsafe, against the law, and incredibly dangerous.
- Increased Incident Risk: Studies on real-world driving show that text messaging increases a driver’s risk of a safety-critical event by 23 times.
- Distance Traveled Blind: If you glance away from the road while driving 55 mph for 5 seconds, you will have traveled the distance of a football field blindfolded.
Tip 3: Avoid Using Dispatching Devices While Moving
Dispatchers can be extremely useful for navigation, communication and electronic logging. That said, manipulating the dispatcher while driving is taking eyes, hands, and mind off the road.
Driving with a dispatching device increases a trucker’s risk of a crash 9-fold. The FMCSA lays out the 5 important rules all commercial drivers should know:
- No Reaching
- No Holding
- No Dialing
- No Texting
- No Reading
Tip 4: Avoid Eating Behind the Wheel
If you’re pressed for time, eating in your car may seem like it’s saving time. In reality, any meal prep that involves the use of your hands is going to mean at least one hand leaving your steering wheel, forcing your eyes to pull attention away from the road. Even a call on a hands-free phone is safer by comparison to dining between red lights! Pack a snack ahead of time and take a few minutes to find a rest stop when it’s lunch time on your itinerary.
Essential Safety Reminders for Professional Drivers
Your safe driving record and professional attitude are key to your success in the logistics industry. Make these basic driving safety rules a priority on every single shift:
- Always buckle up before putting the vehicle in motion.
- Monitor and adjust your speed to match weather and traffic conditions.
- Proceed with extra caution when navigating unfamiliar roadways.
- Conduct thorough pre-trip inspections to ensure proper equipment function.
- Prioritize adequate rest to combat driver fatigue.
- Keep your cab organized to minimize internal distractions.
- Maintain safe following distances between your vehicle and traffic ahead.
Drive for a Safety-Focused Leader: Join the ATC Team
For ATC, safety and professionalism on the road remains our top priority. Our clients demand the ultimate delivery experience, which is why ATC will only work with professional and experienced independent contractor drivers who drive with proper credentials, valid license, and a good attitude.
Professional driver dedicated to quality and safety? Find out more about the contractor criteria and join ATC as a partner now!
