TOP 12 HEAVY VEHICLE DRIVER SAFETY TIPS

Top 12 Heavy Vehicle Driver Safety Tips nationheavyhaulage.com.au

While we take every care to incorporate safety into everything we do, heavy haulage remains slightly more dangerous than most office work. That’s why we make safety the number one priority… over speed… over efficiency… over everything. There might be a quicker way to do something but if it compromises safety, everyone at National Heavy Haulage knows the answer is no.

1. SAFETY TAKES PRIORITY OVER EVERYTHING

Top 12 Heavy Vehicle Driver Safety Tips nationheavyhaulage.com.au

While operators should be conducting regular inspections and maintenance, drivers need to have the skills to deal with the unexpected in a truck. There’ll always be a motorist cutting in, slippery conditions and blowouts to deal with, so having the skills to stay out of trouble are essential. As the name implies, defensive driving is all about avoiding problems before they happen.

2. DEFENSIVE DRIVER TRAINING

Certain procedures are critical in case of accidents. Drivers should be aware of their responsibilities and the safest way to deal with the situation to prevent further injury and get assistance. A company that has good safety policies such as National Heavy Haulage will have a procedure in place for their drivers for when the unexpected occurs.

3. KNOW WHAT TO DO IN AN ACCIDENT SITUATION

Critical to staying safe is keeping the fleet in perfect working order. Braking systems, steering systems, transmission, wheel bearings and tyres are just some of the things than can cause catastrophic accidents if they fail, so regular maintenance of the entire vehicle is the best policy.

4. REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTIONS

Safety at work is everyone’s business, not just safety inspectors so drivers should be encouraged to report any potentially dangerous situations they might encounter. Safety should be discussed at toolbox meetings on a regular basis with driver input to assist. With everyone watching out, we can improve systems overall.

5. ENGAGE DRIVERS IN KEEPING THE WORKPLACE SAFE

Being a “far sighted” driver is about having the knack to tell the angles and gradients of curves, judge corners and so on. Something that comes with experience, knowing how to read the road keeps everyone safer. Less experienced drivers should be encouraged to learn these kinds of lessons from more experienced drivers.

6. TEACH DRIVERS TO READ THE ROAD

Driving conditions are affected by weather conditions and a few minutes spent checking out the weather forecast before the trip can be very handy later down the line. This can be especially true if travelling in areas that are affected by the wet season. Get flooded in northern Australia and it might be 6 months before the truck gets outs again!

7. GET THE WEATHER REPORTS

Just as a pilot checks his plane, a truck driver should run a pre-trip inspection on his rig to make sure there are no fuel, water or oil leaks, lights, steering, brakes are all working and there’s plenty of water, fuel and oil. It might seem obvious but drivers also need to know their height and weight. One very common type of accident for trucks is getting jammed under something they can’t fit under! All trucks should carry tape measures to double check load widths and heights.

8. CONDUCT PRE-TRIP INSPECTIONS

Safety protocol needs to be documented and trained so everyone knows what to do and what’s expected of them. Occupational Health and Safety is an ongoing commitment so it’s important to keep pace with ever-evolving policies and best practice procedures.

9. WRITTEN POLICIES AND TRAINING

There’s no place on the road for intoxicated drivers and whilst the vast majority of professional drivers are actually professionals (like National Heavy Haulages drivers) and would never dream of coming to work under the influence of anything, routine drug and alcohol testing is there to keep it that way.

10. DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING

There are many statutory requirements to comply with in the industry and although it can sometimes seem like a lot to do, it’s all in place for a good reason… safety. And the improvements that have come about since the increased regulation would probably mean most companies would continue to follow the rules even if they didn’t have to.

11. MAINTAIN GOOD RECORDS

Fatigue is public enemy number one on the road. In fact, 10% of all heavy vehicle fatalities are linked to fatigue*. Log books and rest times help to ensure drivers aren’t pushing it to the limit, but sometimes just a 3 hour drive on a straight, dusty road heading into the sun can really take it out of you. There’s no doubt about it, being a truck driver is not easy. As they say, the only cure for fatigue is sleep. No cargo or deadline is more important than lives.

* (Australian Transport Safety Bureau)

12. AVOID FATIGUE

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