Drivers

Drivers who drive for work vary; some spend nearly 100% of their work time in a vehicle on the road, while others occasionally travel for work in their privately-owned vehicle (POV) and are reimbursed for mileage and expenses.

Employers

Employers must commit to work vehicle and roadway safety and communicate that commitment to employees at all levels of the organization. Employers must demonstrate that commitment by allocating time and budgetary resources to work vehicle and roadway safety.

Driver Safety Training

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of worker injuries and death.¹ Driver safety training is a protective measure against crashes and helps protect drivers and other people on the road, resulting in fewer lives lost and reduced lost time on the job.

Vehicle Safety Aspects

Even the most cautious drivers are at risk of injury or death if driving an unsafe vehicle. Vehicle maintenance programs help prevent deaths and injuries caused by unsafe vehicles. In addition, maintenance programs help ensure business continuity and preserve the capital investment of work vehicles and equipment.

Seat Belt Use

Despite decades of public information campaigns, laws, policies, and efforts of government and non-government organizations, more than half of the people who die in vehicle crashes annually were not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

The benefits of buckling up are clear: it helps keep a driver or vehicle occupant safe and securely inside a vehicle and reduces serious crash-related injuries and deaths by about half.

Aggressive driving

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines aggressive driving as “The operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger other persons or property” which can include a number of different moving traffic offenses.¹ Although the tendency is to focus on speeding, all forms of aggressive driving threaten safety on the roadways.

Speeding

Properly set speed limits provide a safe, consistent, and reasonable speed to protect drivers, roadway workers, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Speed limits frame expectations for drivers and other roadway users. To determine speed limits, the amount of vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic is considered. Also considered are the physical conditions of the road such as sidewalks, hills, curves, lanes, driveways, intersections, roadway surfaces and traffic controls. To learn more about how roadway speed limits are determined, visit the U.S.

Drowsy Driving

Drowsy driving or fatigued driving is another extension of distracted driving and is comparable to impaired driving. Drowsy driving occurs when a person operates a motor vehicle when too fatigued or sleepy to stay alert, making the driver less aware of their surroundings. After 17 consecutive hours awake, impairment is estimated to be equivalent to having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .05 and after 24 hours awake, impairment is estimated to be equivalent to a BAC of .10.¹ A survey of the U.S.