W I N T E R P R E P A R E D N E S S BATTLING DRIVER FATIGUE Driver fague is a serious safety issue, parcularly in the winter. Driver fague isn’t just about falling asleep – it’s about redness, weariness, or exhauson. Fague slows reflexes and affects a driver’s ability to concentrate and respond to condions – increasing the chances of a crash that could have a significant impact on your company’s costs and producvity. Here are some best pracces to help avoid it. Create a culture of open and honest communicaon about driver fague – drivers need to feel comfortable reporng their inability to drive due to fague and have no fear of reprisals. Plan ahead and consider the driver’s commute me when complying with state or federal specific hours of service (HOS) regulaons. Teach drivers that it’s not beer to “push through” and that it’s beer to find somewhere to stop and rest. The Naonal Sleep Foundaon recommends a short nap of between 20-30 minutes to significantly improve alertness and performance. Educate drivers on knowing the early signs of fague – such as yawning, frequent blinking, and drowsiness. Remind them to make sure the cruise control funcon is ‘off’ as they look for a safe area to stop and take a rest. According to the Naonal Highway Traffic Safety Administraon, fagued or drowsy driving may contribute to 100,000 crashes each year, causing 40,000 injuries and more than 1,000 deaths. Don’t let your drivers be involved in one of those crashes. Avoid planning routes on two-lane roads and use highways as much as possible. It’s harder for drivers to find rest areas on two-lane roads. Use lane tracking devices so an alarm will sound if the vehicle driﬅs into another lane without the driver using a turn signal. If possible, avoid scheduling driving during the early morning/pre-dawn hours when fague is more prevalent. Remind drivers about the need to avoid medicaons, including over-the-counter opons, which may cause drowsiness. Educate drivers to eat light, fresh foods versus sugary or carbohydrate-filled foods that can make them feel red. Encourage drivers to report fague – regularly ask for feedback both pre- and post-trip. More informaon is available at: ryder.com/winterdriving FLEET LEASING & MAINTENANCE | DEDICATED TRANSPORTATION | SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS ryder.com Ryder and the Ryder logo are registered trademarks of Ryder System, Inc. Copyright © 2018 Ryder System, Inc. Ever beer is a trademark of Ryder System, Inc. PT270216—I 102518

BATTLING DRIVER FATIGUE - Ryder · driver fatigue – drivers need to feel comfortable reporting their inability to drive due to fatigue and have no fear. of reprisals. Plan ahead

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Page 1: BATTLING DRIVER FATIGUE - Ryder · driver fatigue – drivers need to feel comfortable reporting their inability to drive due to fatigue and have no fear. of reprisals. Plan ahead

W I N T E R P R E P A R E D N E S S

BAT TLING DRIVER FATIGUE Driver fatigue is a serious safety issue, particularly in the winter. Driver fatigue isn’t just about falling asleep – it’s

about tiredness, weariness, or exhaustion. Fatigue slows reflexes and affects a driver’s ability to concentrate and

respond to conditions – increasing the chances of a crash that could have a significant impact on your company’s

costs and productivity. Here are some best practices to help avoid it.

Create a culture of open and honest communication about driver fatigue – drivers need to feel comfortable reporting their inability to drive due to fatigue and have no fear of reprisals.

Plan ahead and consider the driver’s commute time when complying with state or federal specific hours of service (HOS) regulations.

Teach drivers that it’s not better to “push through” and that it’s better to find somewhere to stop and rest. The National Sleep Foundation recommends a short nap of between 20-30 minutes to significantly improve alertness and performance.

Educate drivers on knowing the early signs of fatigue – such as yawning, frequent blinking, and drowsiness. Remind them to make sure the cruise control function is ‘off’ as they look for a safe area to stop and take a rest.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatigued or drowsy driving may contribute to 100,000 crashes each year, causing 40,000 injuries and more than 1,000 deaths. Don’t let your drivers be involved in one of those crashes.

Avoid planning routes on two-lane roads and use highways as much as possible. It’s harder for drivers to find rest areas on two-lane roads.

Use lane tracking devices so an alarm will sound if the vehicle drifts into another lane without the driver using a turn signal.

If possible, avoid scheduling driving during the early morning/pre-dawn hours when fatigue is more prevalent.

Remind drivers about the need to avoid medications, including over-the-counter options, which may cause drowsiness.

Educate drivers to eat light, fresh foods versus sugary or carbohydrate-filled foods that can make them feel tired.

Encourage drivers to report fatigue – regularly ask for feedback both pre- and post-trip.

More information is available at: ryder.com/winterdriving

FLEET LEASING & MAINTENANCE | DEDICATED TRANSPORTATION | SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS

https://ryder.com

https://ryder.com/winterdriving