Learning road safety tips is essential to avoid accidents.
Most road accidents are unintentional. They are generally the result of a momentary lack of awareness, bad weather, tired drivers, or careless people behind the wheel.
Driving schools teach most safety tips on the road to combat such issues. But, they often miss out on specific safety tips for road trips that are equally crucial for field service business reps and delivery drivers.
Such drivers need extra training because their actions have consequences for their own lives and others, and they are responsible for the reputation of their employers.
The onus to drive responsibly is more on the company than the person driving the vehicle. Hence, if you manage a fleet of vehicles, ensure your drivers know these six road trip safety tips that driving schools don’t usually teach.
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#1 Knowing the Route is Important
You often see cars suddenly changing lanes or slowing down abruptly at a cross-section. This happens when the driver doesn’t know which road to take and needs to react quickly and make a quick decision.
When driving at higher speeds on highways, such behavior can cause car pile-ups. After all, it just takes one vehicle and one driver’s mistake to cause accidents that harm many. So, ensure your drivers drive sober and know where they are going.
Your drivers could use the Google Maps route planner, but that’s only ideal when traveling from Point A to Point B. Thus, it’s a big NO-NO if they have to make multiple stops and you have to plan routes for multiple drivers.
That’s why you should invest in route optimization software like Route4Me, which automates and simplifies route planning.
Route4Me route planner helps you plan routes while factoring in multiple constraints that could affect your drivers’ journey.
These factors include weather, traffic, turn signals, sunrise and sunset times, road conditions, and avoidance zones.
All you need to do is input the list of customer addresses into the system, set some parameters, and hit optimize. That’s it. Your routes will be ready in 30 seconds!
Your drivers will not get stuck on the road and become frustrated due to poor routes. Instead, they’ll always make timely deliveries or show up for appointments on time, every time.
The benefits of route optimization software do not end here. Learn the top eight reasons why you should use delivery scheduling software.
#2 Speed Limits are There for a Reason
Did you know that a 5% increase in speed can increase the risk of fatal crashes by around 20%? [Source: WHO]
It might be easy to ignore the speed limits while hurrying to deliver items, but it can prove dangerous.
Make sure all your drivers stay within the posted speed limit. It is your responsibility to ensure one driver is not overburdened with too many jobs and thus needs to rush on the roads.
Route4Me’s multi-stop route planner can help you assign a balanced workload. Plus, it comes with a speed alert feature that automatically notifies you or your dispatchers whenever a driver speeds so that you can take necessary action.
#3 Stop and Rest When Tired or Sleepy
No driving school should have to teach this because it’s one of the most basic road safety tips for truck drivers or field service reps.
However, according to a study by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, approximately 328,000 car crashes occur annually because of drowsy driving. Many of these crashes result in fatalities and lasting injuries.
[Source: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety]
Hence, ensure your drivers are well-rested and wide awake whenever they’re behind the wheel.
Again, this is as much your responsibility as your driver’s. You must ensure they stay aware and get enough time off to rest between shifts.
Also, allow them short rest breaks when driving long distances, so they don’t fall asleep behind the wheel. To assist with this, Route4Me has a “Driver Breaks” feature that helps reduce driver fatigue by providing sufficient scheduled breaks during the road trip.
With the Driver Break feature, you just need to insert adjustable break stops into the already planned routes with the touch of a button.
Route4Me’s delivery planner will automatically choose the most optimal location and stop sequence for the insertion and recalculate the route’s time and distance accordingly.
You can even insert breaks after a specific amount of time on the road, after servicing a certain number of customers, or after an elapsed time. And you can predefine the duration of each break and choose from multiple insertion options.
To learn more about this feature, read our article on reducing driver fatigue and improving productivity.
#4 Regular Vehicle Maintenance is a Necessity, Not an Option
Regular servicing and maintenance are essential to extend the vehicle’s lifetime and ensure your drivers reach their destination safely.
During regular servicing, the mechanic will inform you of any problems with your vehicle. Seemingly minor issues, such as uneven tire pressure, brake pads and windshield wipers not working correctly, or the engine overheating, can cause hazards on the road.
With regular maintenance and servicing, your drivers will stay safe. So, don’t forget to tell your delivery drivers that they must inform you when they see something is wrong with their vehicles.
#5 Patience Is a Virtue, Road Rage Is Not
Aggressive driving and road rage are two significant causes of fatal accidents.
Besides causing accidents, road rage or violence by any of your drivers will not add to your business’s brand value. So, include this as one of the critical road safety tips in their training manual.
It is also best to train your drivers to handle road rage to ensure they do not become a contributor to road rage or deal with other motorists and road ragers constructively.
For example, they should watch for aggressive drivers on the road and avoid crossing their paths.
Stop, let them pass, and then continue with the route. This enables them to stay as far away as possible from aggressive drivers.
If your driver gets involved in an incident of road rage, ask to remain calm and keep a distance from the violent driver.
You can also leverage Route4Me’s delivery route optimizer, which comes with a commercial GPS tracker to enable you to track your vehicle movements in real-time.
So if any of your drivers engage in reckless driving, you would know immediately and take corrective actions before it becomes too late.
Learn in detail how to deal with road rage or avoid aggressive driving.
#6 Avoid Distractions to Drive Safely
As road safety becomes an increasingly pressing issue, commercial drivers must be aware of distracted driving and its consequences.
Not only does it endanger the driver, but others as well – meaning that one lapse in focus can potentially cost multiple lives.
That’s why you should set clear guidelines for safe driving, emphasizing avoiding distractions such as texting, eating, using a cell phone, changing radio stations, or drinking while behind the wheel.
They should always stay alert, stay focused and have their hands on the wheel.
Following such tips for road safety may seem like extra effort, but in the end, they can save lives. That’s why companies should always prioritize safe and defensive driving by discouraging distracting activity while driving.
Final Thoughts about Road Safety Tips for Drivers
Driving schools might teach you the mechanics of operating a vehicle, but they definitely don’t tell you everything.
To be a genuinely safe and responsible driver on the road takes more than just knowing how to drive – it takes following some important road safety tips that driving schools leave out.
Next time you hit the open road, remember to:
- Drive defensively
- Take breaks often to avoid fatigue
- Keep your car in top condition by regularly maintaining it
- Always wear a seat belt
- Learn winter road safety tips
- And whatever you do – never let yourself get caught up in road rage.
And most important of all, avoid distracted driving at all costs. By following these simple yet crucial tips, you can ensure that you and everyone on the road stay safe.
Whether you want to plan safe delivery routes, track aggressive driving, or reduce driver fatigue… Route4Me helps you achieve that!
Want To See For Yourself How Route4Me Can Help Drivers Stay Safe on the Road and Save Money?
