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Idealease Safety Bulletin - NIGHT DRIVING

Nov. 19 2021 Miscellaneous By McCandless Idealease

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Read and share the latest Safety Bulletin, "Night Driving", courtesy of Idealease Truck Leasing and Rental. 

VIEW AND DOWNLOAD the full November 19th Edition or read online. Remember to SIGN UP to receive these fleet safety tips directly to your email inbox each and every week so you never miss important industry news and safety information!

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In this issue:

  • What Makes Driving at Night Difficult?
  • Tips for safe driving at night
  • Are you using the Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP)?
  • FMCSA Requires Annual Inspection of Rear Impact Guards
  • Have you prepared your terminal facility for the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend?

REGISTER FOR THE TWO REMAINING 2021 IDEALEASE SAFETY WEBINARS:

NIGHT DRIVING

While most driving takes place during daylight hours, between 12 midnight and 6am is the riskiest time for crashes. More accidents occur at night and most fatal accidents occur in the dark.  The professional driver must understand that it takes maximum defensive driving skills to drive safely at night. Safe night driving requires preparation, alertness, and a heavy dose of common sense. 

What makes night driving difficult?

  • POOR VISIBILITY - less natural light available
  • TENDENCY TO FEEL DROWSIER - people feel more sleepy overall at nighttime
  • SILENCE - if alone and have less noise/fewer vehicles on the road, you can become sleepier
  • ROADWAY LIGHTING - lighting is often very poor and if in a rural area, there is little to no overhead lighting available. Typically, the most dependable lighting will come from your own vehicle. 
  • MORE PEOPLE DRINK IN EVENINGS - present more of a hazard if they get behind the wheel
  • OPPOSING LIGHTS ARE DISTRACTING - vehicles approaching from the opposite direction can cause temporary blindness or distraction if the light disrupts vision
  • VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS - driving at night is more challenging for those that suffer from eyesight problems or night blindness and therefore pose additional hazards to driving.

TIPS FOR SAFE DRIVING AT NIGHT

  • BE ALERT - You are most likely to encounter fatigued or impaired drivers during the night or early morning hours.  Pay attention to motorists that are driving aggressively or erratically during these times.  Maintain a safe distance and be prepared to stop.  
  • REDUCE YOUR SPEED - Fatigue, combined with darkness, reduces your vision and reaction time. Maintain a 4-second interval when following a vehicle and reduce your speed, especially on unfamiliar roads
  • ENSURE HEADLIGHTS ARE PROPERLY AIMED - Fully operational and clean headlights are imperative.  Check with your service provider or maintenance shop for the proper procedure and make sure lights are clean and working during pre and post-trip inspections.  
  • DON'T OVERDRIVE YOUR HEADLIGHTS - Take note of where the far reach of your low beam is then count four seconds.  If you pass that original place in less than four seconds, you are going too fast.  Two to three seconds may be an acceptable range for major highways with reflector strips.  
  • USE HIGH BEAMS WISELY 
  • DON'T LOOK AT ONCOMING HEADLIGHTS - staring directly at headlights can blind you for up to 5 seconds while your eyes adjust
  • LOOK AROUND - Keep your eyes moving vs. focusing on the center line to help your eyes stay adjusted to the dark
  • IF TIRED, GET OFF THE ROAD - Always pull over and rest if you feel sleepy. Stopping every two hours for a break is a good rule of thumb
  • NIGHT-DRIVING GLASSES - studies have shown that they impair visual performance and retard glare recovery, so do not rely on them to improve your night vision. 

ARE YOU USING THE PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING PROGRAM (PSP)?

The PSP was designed to assist the motor carrier industry in assessing individual operators' crash and serious safety violation history as a pre-employment condition.  An annual subscription fee of $100 applies and a carrier will pay $10 for each requested driver history.  Carriers with few than 100 power units qualify for a discounted annual fee of $25.  Individuals can request a personal driving history for a fee of $10.  No subscription is necessary for individual drivers. 

The program is voluntary and is not part of CSA.  Motor carriers may request driver information for the purpose of pre-employment screening through a 3rd party provider, NIC Technologies.  The driver must provide written consent and drivers may request their own driver information record at any time.  The information will be retrieved from the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS). MCMIS electronic profiles will contain 5 years of crash data and 3 years of inspection data, however it will NOT include conviction data.  

To enroll in the PSP, go to: www.psp.fmcsa.dot.gov

BENEFITS OF USING A PSP (VIDEO): https://www.psp.fmcsa.dot.gov/psp/#modal-video


FMCSA REQUIRES ANNUAL INSPECTION OF REAR IMPACT GUARDS

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has published a final rule to include rear impact guards on the list of items that must be examined as part of the required annual inspection for every commercial motor vehicle.  86 Fed. Reg. 62105 (11/9/2021)

Section 393.86 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations requires rear impact guards to be installed on most CMVs to reduce the incidence of passenger compartment intrusion during the underride crashes in which a passenger vehicle strikes the rear of a CMV.  In addition, every CMV must be inspected at least once every 12 months.  

The final rule amends the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to include rear impact guards on the list of items that must be examined as part of the required annual inspection for each CMV.  The new requirement goes into effect on December 9, 2021. 


HAVE YOU PREPARED YOUR TERMINAL FACILITY FOR THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY WEEKEND?

This is another reminder we serve up every holiday since it is common for thieves to target truck terminals during the holidays. Take extra precautions to secure the trucks and items of value at your terminal. 

  • Instruct drivers NOT to fill units at the end of the day if they do not have anti-siphon devices or locking caps
  • Ensure all security alarms and lighting is in working order
  • Walk the lot to check security fencing
  • Move units and all other materials (ie. pallets, tires, etc) far enough away from the fence so that they cannot be used to climb on
  • Consider blocking entrances and exits
  • Assign management personnel to randomly check the terminal

A little common sense and preparation can deter thieves from striking your facility. Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving! 

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