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Idealease Safety Bulletin - Dangerous Roads - September 24, 2021

Sep. 24 2021 Miscellaneous By McCandless Idealease

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Our weekly Safety Bulletin, brought to you by Idealease Truck Leasing and Rental, details important reminders about dangerous roads

Read, share, download and/or print the entire bulletin online and/or SIGN UP to receive these weekly fleet safety tips via email. 

View past safety bulletins online at: https://www.idealease.com/safety-compliance/safety-bulletins

In this week's bulletin, find information on the following:

  • How many times while driving have you seen another motorist and ask yourself…Is that a drunk driver?
  • We are still in road construction season!
  • Are your drivers traveling on these Dangerous Roads?
  • FMCSA Medical Review Board to Consider CPAP Recall
  • Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) clarifies which documents can be presented electronically
  • October 3rd – 9th is Fire Prevention Week

How many times while driving have you seen another motorist and asked yourself, 'Is that a drunk driver...?'

The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) has established 4 categories to identify if a person is operating a vehicle under the influence.  It is important to review the following to help become a better defensive driver.


1. PROBLEMS MAINTAINING LANE POSITION

  • Look for erratic steering or inability to keep the vehicle within a lane.  Potential indicators of a drunk driver include:
    1.  Weaving across lanes
    2.  Straddling 2 lanes
    3.  Almost striking another driver

2.  SPEED AND BRAKING PROBLEMS

  • Maintaining speed and proper braking is often more difficult for an impaired driver. Be on the lookout for:
    1.   General problems with stopping, like jerkiness, stopping short or abruptly
    2.  Quick acceleration and/or deceleration 
    3.   Drivers operating at speeds well under the posted speed limit

3.  VIGILANCE PROBLEMS

  • The driver's inability to pay attention to driving. Look for things like:
    1.  Driving at night without headlights on
    2.  Wrong way on a one way
    3.  Responding slowly to traffic signals

4.  JUDGEMENT PROBLEMS

  • Alcohol can impair a driver's judgement of what is safe vs what is not. They often take risks, such as:
    1.   Following too closely
    2.   Unsafe lane changes
    3.  Sudden, erratic turns
    4.   Crossing the median
    5.   Violating no-turn laws

What should you do if you come across a potential drunk driver? 

Prepare to take action to avoid trouble or any unpredictable move the suspected drunk driver may take.  If you see 2 or more of the above factors, it is your responsibility to call the police immediately! Help save the lives of other drivers!!


WE ARE STILL IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION SEASON!

Remind your drivers that they need to be especially cautious of construction zones!

Here are some safety tips you can share with your drivers regarding construction zones:

  • Slow down and be alert when approaching a construction zone. 
  • Get into the correct lane in advance
  • If traffic is merging into a single lay, be aware of other motorists racing to get ahead
  • Get off your phone! Even hands-free poses distractions to the safe operation to your CMV
  • Pay attention to signs and follow the instructions!
  • Be alert to the actions of other drivers
  • Pay close attention to the construction equipment as well as the workers
  • Be prepared to stop
  • Watch speed limits
  • Don't tailgate
  • Watch for construction vehicles entering and exiting the roadways
  • Turn on your headlights for better visibility to workers and traffic
  • Give construction workers a brake! 

ARE YOUR DRIVERS TRAVELING ON THESE DANGEROUS ROADS?

View the data from Teletrac Navman at https://www.teletracnavman.com/resources/resource-library/infographics/most-dangerous-roads-in-america-infographic

Remind your drivers to be aware and cautious of the roads they are traveling!


I4 in Florida is the most dangerous stretch of highway in the United States.  This 132 miles of divided highway is the ONLY interstate that averaged more than 1 death per mile between 2016 and 2019. 

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SAFETY ALLIANCE (CVSA) CLARIFIES WHICH DOCUMENTS CAN BE PRESENTED ELECTRONICALLY

The guidance clarifies to drivers, motor carriers and officers which documents can be provided electronically during a CVSA roadside inspection and which are still required to be available as paper copies. 

Which documents are included? 

  • Almost ALL the documents that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) require in 49 CFR parts 300-399 can be stored electronically
  • Exceptions:  driver's licenses and hazmat shipping papers
  • Examples of electronic records that fit within the scope of CVSA's bulletin: 
    • hours of service documents
    • medical cards
    • medical waivers/exemptions
    • shipping documents (non-hazardous materials)
    • lease agreements
    • daily vehicle inspection reports
  • The annual vehicle inspection report CAN be electronic, however inspection stickers (when used) must continue to be affixed to the vehicles and trailers

What documents are not covered in the guidance? 

  • Those relating to registration, fuel tax, insurance, over-dimensional permits and Canadian daily vehicle inspections may be accepted in electronic format, however it is dependent on state, local, provincial, and/or territorial laws and regulations
  • Drivers must check to confirm the correct format prior to traveling through jurisdictions

NOTE: All electronic documents must be complete, accurate, legible and signed (if required), similar to paper documents. 

FMCSA MEDICAL REVIEW BOARD TO CONSIDER CPAP RECALL

Advisory committee is meeting on 9/29/21 from 1pm-5pm Eastern time. 

Meeting is open to the public, although advanced registration is requested.

FMCSA will task the Medical Review Board with providing recommendations on how to best assist medical examiners and CMV drivers that use CPAPs on reliable sources of information concerning options for drivers that use machines covered by the recall. 

Upcoming Events:

October 3rd – 9th is Fire Prevention Week

National Fire Prevention Week is coming, and it is a good time to review with your drivers how to prevent fires and how to react to a fire that occurs in their commercial motor vehicle. Fire extinguisher inspection is a vital part of a driver’s daily vehicle inspection process.  It amazes me how many times I will be looking at a truck and find the fire extinguisher has lost it pressure due to a leak or was used and returned to the truck without being recharged.  The actions of a driver at the time of a fire are crucial in saving lives and controlling the amount of loss.


*The Idealease Safety Bulletin is provided for Idealease locations and their customers and is not to be construed as a complete or exhaustive source of compliance or safety information. The Idealease Safety Bulletin is advisory in nature and does not warrant, guarantee, or otherwise certify compliance with laws, regulations, requirements, or guidelines of any local, state, or Federal agency and/or governing body, or industry standards.