At-Risk Drivers

One of the most important things a safety or transportation manager has to do is, if possible, stop wrecks before they occur. The first step in accomplishing that task is to identify those drivers who are most at risk of having a wreck. The question is, how do we determine who those drivers are and then what actions do we take to short stop the wreck? These are two different issues and I will not be addressing what to do with at risk drivers, only how to identify them.

The most obvious and I believe the most dangerous at risk driver is the one who has already had a wreck. If that individual has had multiple incidents, then statistically the chances of that driver having another incident become much greater. There is a reason why insurance companies raise your rates if you have a wreck. I would encourage your organization to take a serious look at the driving habits of those who have had wrecks, no matter how insignificant those incidents might seem.

NHTSA maintains that aggressive driving is one of the leading causes of preventable wrecks. This is an activity that is easy to observe. One of the quickest ways to discover aggressive drivers is to simply watch your parking lot. The driver who comes speeding into the lot with the radio blaring, and then squeals to a stop is probably driving the same way in your company vehicle.

I believe that driving angry, sick or tired is a bigger risk for most companies than having a driver who is impaired with drugs or alcohol. If one of your drivers has just had an argument with another employee or management, and is slamming things around or shouting at others, then the chances of that driver concentrating on the driving task is pretty slim. The driver who is yawning or complaining about not getting enough sleep last night is likely to be the driver who doesn't react quickly in a dangerous situation. Worse yet, that driver may actually be creating dangerous situations because of a lack of focus.

If you notice a driver who is constantly using a cell phone, checking invoices, has a radio playing loudly, or is trying to eat lunch while driving then you can be sure that driver is distracted. One of the major causes of wrecks is driving distracted. Some of your drivers are convinced that it's not only alright, but even efficient to multi-task while driving. If you know that a driver is trying to do too much while they are driving then you can be sure that driver is one step away from having a wreck. The reason at risk drivers have wrecks is rarely because of a lack of skill and almost always because of a lack of focus.

How can your company spot these kinds of at risk behavior? Management must take the time to observe driver actions in the parking area and watch their drivers as they pull away from the workplace. It's important to listen to what your drivers are saying. If you have a driver who is always complaining about how slow other drivers are, talking about how quickly they can complete their route, or referring to the close call or calls they had today then it's possible they are driving too fast or too aggressively.

What can management do if they believe they have a potential problem? The first step is to actually have someone ride with the driver you are concerned about. Please understand that driver will adjust their habits while management is in the vehicle. Observe whether they are looking when they change lanes, are they paying attention when they back in to or out of a parking space? Many driving incidents occur off road, in parking lots. Watch how the driver is behaving when they stop for lunch. Are they in the lane they need to be in when they get ready to exit on a freeway?

Once again the driver will probably adjust their driving for management but if the driver is truly at risk you should be able to notice. I do not believe you can do this just once and be able to spot potential problems. It is important to ride with at risk drivers several times and in several different driving situations. If you believe a driver is at risk take a half day to observe. If just spend a half hour, in the vehicle, with them it's possible you won't have enough time to determine if there is a problem.

I believe unsafe driving can be pretty simple to spot but it does require effort on the part of management to observe poor driving practices. Watch your drivers, listen to your drivers, and finally if necessary ride with your drivers to determine where potential problems might exist. Professional drivers rarely have wrecks because of a lack of skill. Over the years they have developed a set of habits. Some of those habits are good and some are bad. It becomes important for your company's management to identify what kind of driving habits your drivers have. Make sure if your drivers have developed bad habits that you address them before the wreck occurs.

To schedule your defensive driving workshop, call 817-306-5421 or email Ric today.