Increasing your own driver awareness can significantly reduce the costly accidents, fatalities, and material losses that impact us all. Whether you drive an SUV, a delivery van, an RV, or a long-haul truck, it’s crucial to always bring along one essential item: your safety awareness. The safe operation of any vehicle hinges on the attentiveness, alertness, and ability of an individual to focus on the task at hand.
Impaired mental faculties due to limited sleep, combined with high demands on alertness and attentiveness, create a dangerous mix. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, drowsy driving costs approximately $12 billion annually and results in thousands of deaths. Driver distraction, caused by cell phones, MP3 players, GPS devices, and other in-vehicle entertainment, is one of the leading safety hazards in the transportation industry.
While new technologies are bringing better safety products to market, life-saving changes can be made by increasing individual knowledge about the causes of preventable accidents. Education is a powerful tool; understanding the dangers of unfocused driving may help you think twice before you end up on the wrong side of a senseless driving disaster.
Over the last 50 years, much has been discussed about the perils of sleep-deprived truck drivers, tired individual drivers, and drivers not paying attention. The issue is further complicated by the increasing number of trucks on the road and a dramatic shortage of qualified drivers moving an ever-growing supply of consumer and consumable products.
A report from the NHTSA (National Survey of Distracted and Drowsy Driving Attitudes and Behavior, April 2003) reveals that most drivers occasionally engage in behaviors that divert their attention from driving:
Despite the fact that more than a billion driving trips are made weekly by drivers engaging in these behaviors, fewer than one in four drivers perceive these activities as distracting or making driving more dangerous. Don’t take the risk of ignorance; always give your full attention to driving whenever you navigate a motor vehicle.
It is well-documented that commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driver alertness and drowsiness are major safety hazards in modern society. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there are approximately 7.9 million large trucks on our roads today, some driven by drivers working excessive hours, complicated by a shortage of qualified truck drivers. Large trucks alone account for over 400,000 accidents a year, with an average cost of over $62,000 per incident.
What is less known is the increasing number of overworked, overtired, and highly distracted individuals driving non-commercial trucks, SUVs, and cars, numbering over 220 million vehicles. While these automobiles are smaller in size and weight, they are no less dangerous in the hands of a sleep-deprived or inattentive driver.
There are many sources of vehicle safety and accident prevention information available from the U.S. government, such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). By taking the time to learn about the hazards and risks associated with driving, it becomes apparent how increased attentiveness can lead to accident avoidance.
Clearly, a driver’s ability to safely control a vehicle and be “aware” will continue to be tested due to the ever-increasing distractions in our highly mobilized society. The fact remains that the safe operation of any motor vehicle is the responsibility of the driver. Doing your part to increase your alertness while driving will not only make you a safer driver but will also benefit all who share our roads.
Limit Company Liability - Start a Vehicle Accident Prevention Program
It is a known fact that many traffic crashes are avoidable; investing in a company wide motor vehicle safety program can help save lives and reduce costs, ultimately providing benefits that are hard to ignore.
In-Vehicle Cell Phone Use - Assessing Accident Risk
If you are the head of a household, a guardian or the parent of a less experienced driver, your decision to allow any in-vehicle cell phone use carries a major emotional and financial risk. If you are a fleet manager or you employ individuals that conduct work-related conversations while driving, the risk of liability for distracted accidents could fall on you. Strongly consider the legal ramifications for the careless operation of an employee-owned or company-supplied vehicle before deciding to ignore the inherent danger created by a major cognitive distraction such as a cell phone.
