How Operation Safe Driver Week’s Results Can Prepare Your Team for Winter

Semi Truck Insurance

This previous summer’s Operation Safe Driver Week was designed to stop some of the most common and dangerous safety violations on the road. But the Commercial Vehicles Safety Alliance (CVSA), the entity behind the movement, also wanted to collect data. Once the industry knows the most common violations, everyone can work together to stay safer. Here are the top three most common citation types and what you can do to minimize the risk for your own company:

1. Violating state and local laws
When your drivers have long interstate routes, it’s difficult to stay on top of the rules. Not only does entry into neighboring states mean going through weighing points, it means shifting mindset. After all, neighboring states can have entirely different cell phone and seat belt policies. They can also require different types of paperwork.

Make sure your drivers know the laws for their upcoming routes. If you can integrate the information into their GPS and your automated systems, that’s even better.

2. Speeding
Speeding happens, even when you have the most conscientious driver behind the wheel. But the heavier the truck is, the less able it is to respond to quick emergencies or other vehicles. It’s going to be even worse with the onset of winter because snow and ice slow response time further. Make sure your drivers have plenty of time to finish their route, and only incentivize speed when it’s done safely and legally. The busy shipping season is here, but safety needs to come first.

3. Not wearing a seat belt
Drivers are required to wear seat belts almost everywhere in the United States. Even in areas where drivers might not feel it’s necessary, it can degrade your drivers’ and your company’s records. Remind drivers that it’s a priority, and consider adding devices that sound an alarm when the driver’s seat belt isn’t engaged.

These common safety violations don’t just represent dangerous risks to everyone’s health and safety. They represent risks to your insurance policies, and violations will drive your rates up. For more ways to keep your insurance rates low, go to J.E.B. Insurance Services, LLC. We provide commercial truck insurance in the states of Florida, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska.

David Ott

David Ott