DDC – PROFESSIONAL TRUCK DRIVER Presented By: Les Nugen

Housekeeping Items Should take about 4 ½ hours Breaks as needed Restrooms located? Registration Remove registration cards from center of handbook Complete ALL sections NEATLY Unreadable = no credit!

Course Goal Present and review information on how to improve your defensive driving skills – skills that may save your life and help avoid collisions and violations

Question How many people do you think were killed in traffic collisions in the U.S. last year? 41,300

Question How many people do you think are injured in motor vehicle collisions every year? 2,200,000

Question How much do you think these collisions cost? $181,500,000,000

This is almost 113 people killed per day and 6,027 injured at a cost per day of $497,300,000

How many truck drivers are killed every year in CMV collisions? Between 700-800!!! Trucking has the most occupational related deaths of any industry!

Commercial Vehicle Stats CMV were involved in only 3.8% of all motor vehicle collisions, but 8% of all CMV collisions result in death.

Collisions Has anyone here been involved in a collision? Was anyone hurt? How much did it cost? The actual costs are usually much more than just physical damage, liability, and cargo

AMOUNT OF LOSS Operating Ratio $100 $200 $300 $400 $500 $600 $700 $800 $900 $1,000 $2,000 99% 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000 80,000 90,000 100,000 200,000 98% 5,000 15,000 25,000 35,000 45,000 97% 3,333 6,667 13,333 16,667 23,333 26,667 33,333 66,667 96% 2,500 7,500 12,500 17,500 22,500 95% 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 18,000 94% 1,667 3,334 5,001 6,668 8,335 10,002 11,669 13,336 15,003 16,670 33,340 93% 1,429 2,858 4,287 5,710 7,145 8,574 10,003 11,432 12,861 14,290 28,580 92% 1,250 3,750 6,250 8,750 11,250

What is Defensive Driving? Driving to save Lives, Time, and Money in spite of the conditions around you and the actions of others

Rule #1 For Today NO COMPLAINING! You cannot control the actions of others – only yourself We are here to talk about how to avoid collisions – IN SPITE OF THE ACTIONS OF OTHERS Complaining will not accomplish this goal

Assume all other drivers are completely INSANE! Rule #2 For the Road Assume all other drivers are completely INSANE!

What is an Accident? “an unfortunate event resulting from unavoidable causes? To call a vehicle collision an “accident” is not really accurate Collisions are usually avoidable by one or more of the drivers involved. Collisions can be prevented

What is a Preventable Collision? “a collision in which the driver failed to do everything reasonable to avoid it” Key word being REASONABLE!

Contributing Factors All factors or causes of collisions can be put into one of three categories: Driver Vehicle Conditions

What Can You Control? Driver & Vehicle Conditions are outside of your control E.g. weather, construction, OTHER DRIVERS

Preventability Over 80% of all collisions can be attributed to driver error Translation – over 80% of collisions could be prevented by the person behind the wheel

Concentrate on Your Driving You make approximately 180 decisions per minute while driving Doing other tasks just adds to this total If you make the right decision 99% of the time, you are making 108 mistakes per hour! In a ten hour run that is 1080 mistakes!

DDC Collision Prevention Formula Recognize the hazard Understand the defense Act correctly, in time

How to Anticipate & Recognize Driving Hazards The ‘What If Strategy”

Let’s watch a video It summarizes the points we have discussed so far, and focuses more on preventability of accidents

Session Two: Professional Drivers’ Characteristics

Quick Review What were the three categories that causes of collisions fit into from section one? Driver Vehicle Conditions This session will focus on YOU the driver

Characteristics of a Professional Driver Courteous Attentive -“Senses” what others will do…or not do Does not make risky moves Allows a “safety cushion” around the truck Good judgment & skills Desire to improve

Characteristics of an Unprofessional Driver Tailgates and intimidates Cuts people off Changes lanes unnecessarily Excessive speed Rude, vulgar on CB to other drivers Thinks the bigger vehicle will win

What Should a Pro do to Improve Driving Skills? Keep up-to-date on traffic laws Review defensive driving skills & techniques Listen to experiences of other drivers, and try to learn from them Try to identify bad unsafe habits and correct them

What Type of Knowledge Must You Have? Rules of the road (federal & state) Safe/proper vehicle operations Transportation paperwork Basic truck mechanics Load securement Trip planning CDL requirements

What is Foresight? That “sixth sense” that drivers develop through experience The ability to anticipate what can happen down the road Translation: Knowing when another driver is going to do something stupid and dangerous!

Use Your Biggest Advantage CMV drivers sit up much higher than most drivers This allows you to see further down the road Combine this advantage with proper scanning techniques to detect potential hazards – and be prepared to deal with them

Don’t Give Up Your Advantage Following too closely to another truck takes away your sight advantage! When you follow too close you are letting the driver of the truck in front of you drive your truck for you

Examples of Good Judgment? Passing when it is safe and legal Driving according to the conditions around you Not taking unnecessary risks

What are some driver conditions that may affect driving ability? Stress Emotions Attitude Fatigue Physical health – sickness, medications, etc Vision & hearing Mobility

Take a Pre-Trip Mental Inventory Ask yourself, how do I feel? Tired? Tense? Sick? Fine? What problems are you aware of that will be part of the trip? Construction zones, rush hour, shipper/receiver Take these factors into consideration during the day

Driver Factors are Divided into Two Categories Physical Mental

Causes of Physical & Emotional Stress Work schedule Family problems Work problems – dispatchers, safety directors Road/weather conditions Traffic – other drivers Vehicle conditions – breakdowns, etc.

What Types of Drivers Do You Encounter? Tony Stewart – aggressive, moving in & out Grandpa Simpson – nowhere to go, nothing to do “I don’t want to follow the big truck, but don’t want them behind me either” Guinness world record holder for the shortest following distance Professional

Stress Reducers Relaxation techniques Allow extra time for unexpected Take a break Ignore other drivers attitudes Let dangerous drivers get ahead of you Balance work and personal life LAUGH IT OFF

Fatigue Caused by stress, lack of quality sleep, too many hours behind the wheel, changing schedules, etc. Two periods when most collisions occur: Between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. These are your body’s natural down times

How to Reduce Fatigue Get quality sleep At least 7 hours per day Block out light, noise, etc. Plan sleep time into your trips Avoid heavy meals before bedtime Get regular exercise - maintain good health

Physical Requirements Vision – 20/40 in both eyes Peripheral vision at least 70 degrees Blood pressure – 140/90 max Hearing – forced whisper at 5 feet No insulin dependent diabetic condition No loss of foot, leg, hand, or arm

Session Three – Driving Large Vehicles

Session Three Topics The other controllable factor VEHICLE Vehicle inspections Blind spots Effects of freight on handling Stopping distance & following distance

Pre-Trip Inspections Consists of more than – the truck starts, it has fuel, and oil pressure…it shifts into gear and drives. You are a key component in any company maintenance program & safety program Thorough Pre-Trips help cut down on breakdowns, collisions, and out of service violations

Driver Responsibility Drivers are required under 396.13 to be satisfied that the vehicle is in safe operating condition before driving the vehicle

Most Common Out Of Service Violations Brakes Lights Tires

In-route Inspections Normal load – every 150 miles or 3 hours Hazmat load- every 100 miles or 2 hours Check the following: Oil/water Brakes Tires Cargo(chains, straps, tarps) Yourself

While Driving Listen – strange or new noises Smell – unusual odors Feel – changes in handling, vibrations Observe – gauges, parts (lights, turn signals, cargo securement, etc)

Post-Trip Should be thorough so that mechanics can be notified of needed repairs Should complete the DVIR every day you are on duty

What Type of CMV Do You Drive? Cab-over or Conventional Straight truck or combinations vehicle Single or double axle Single, double, or triple trailers Tank, flat, reef, or dry van 28, 48, 53, or 57’ trailer length 13’ 6”, 14’ trailer height

Many Possibilities Different types of vehicles have different handling capabilities and characteristics Even different vehicles of the same type will handle differently Keep this in mind if changing vehicles The same vehicle will handle differently with different loads

Truck vs. Car How is driving a big truck different from driving a car? Size Clearance Turning radius Stopping distance Blind spots

Blind Spots Where are your blind spots? Front Behind Sides

How Can You Compensate for Blind Spots? Lean and Look Additional mirrors – fender mount, convex, etc. Proper mirror adjustment Vehicle placement/positioning Lane choice Lane positioning Change of speed

Judging Vehicle Clearance Road signs May be inaccurate May be missing Must be sure you can fit Slow down until safe Stop if necessary

Right Turns Anticipate the turn Check behind – watch for right turn squeeze Use turn signal Get set up properly – block with rear of trailer Try not to cross into other lanes Watch in mirrors for cars in the way

Left Turns Anticipate the turn Use your turn signal at least 100 feet before Keep wheels pointed straight Wait until safe to proceed - do not assume that traffic will stop once you begin turn If multiple lanes, get into far right lane – better view of cars beside you

NO U-TURNS

Driving Through Curves Entrance/exit ramps are where most rollovers occur Check your speedometer to KNOW how fast you are going Slow down BEFORE you enter curve Should not apply brakes while driving through curve Should be slow enough to accelerate through

Poor Perception People are poor judges of distance and speed As your trip length gets longer, your speed perception gets worse You may think you have slowed down enough, but may be going to fast to make turn CHECK YOU SPEEDOMETER to be sure

How Many Feet Does it Take You to Stop? It depends: Weight Load Road conditions Reaction time Type of vehicle Tires Vehicle condition

Perception Time Time it takes for you to see and recognize that the hazard exists Estimated to be 1.75 seconds Varies from person to person Fatigue increases the time

Reaction Time/Distance Time it takes from when you recognize a hazard to when you get your foot on the brake Average reaction time is ¾ of second Reaction distance is calculated by taking the first digit of your speed and adding it to your speed E.g. 20 mph = 22 feet 35 mph = 38 feet 60 mph = 66 feet

Actual Braking Distance Includes air brake lag ½ second for air brake lag Distance will be 2/3 of reaction distance E.g. 20 mph = 15 feet 30 mph = 20 feet

Stopping Distance Stopping Distance = Perception + Reaction distance + air brake lag distance + actual braking distance

Car vs. Truck Stopping Distance AUTO: MPH Perception Reaction Brake Total 20 51 22 20 93 feet 55 141 60 132 to 164 365 feet 65 166 71 196 to 245 482 feet TRUCK: 20 51 22 30 103 feet 55 141 60 275 476 feet 65 166 71 454 691 feet 70 180 77 490 747 feet

Do You Have Room to Stop? At 20 mph a car stops 10 feet faster

THE REAREND CRASH

Sad reality of the rear-end crash Who usually is riding in the back of a vehicle? CHILDREN 8 children killed every week in truck/car accidents

Remember Why We Are Here To learn to avoid collisions in spite of the actions, mistakes, and stupidity of others If someone cuts in front of you give them room Do not force yourself into making a emergency maneuver due to lack of time and space to move Drive defensively not offensively

Remember That Many Factors Affect Stopping Distance Road conditions Ice or snow can more than double stopping dist. Your alertness – slower perception & reaction time increases stopping distance Load type/placement Loaded tractors stop faster than empty Bobtailing has special limitations

Session Four – Lane Management

Four Outcomes of a Pass Successful pass Head-on collision Run-off-the-road collision Sideswipe collision

What Should You do Before You Pass Determine if it is safe Determine if it is legal Determine if it is necessary

A Word Of Caution DO NOT let your following distance diminish when scanning before a pass Your attention shifts to other areas and you may lose track of the vehicle in front of you Can force yourself into an unsafe maneuver if vehicle in front slows or stops

Where Is It Not Legal to Pass No-passing zones School zones Within 100 feet of RR crossing Within 100 feet of intersection In tunnels or within 100 feet 100 feet before a toll booth Construction zones

Watch Video Lets watch a video that discusses different scenarios involving lane management and ways to avoid a collision

Multilane Roads Requires increased concentration and scanning techniques Watch ahead, behind, on both sides Entrance/exit ramps Converging and expanding lane width/numbers Increased awareness and identification skills

Managing Multi-lanes Adjust speed to traffic flow – but not over speed limit Avoid frequent lane changes Avoid tailgating Stay right – this gives you the breakdown lane as an out Try not to get boxed in – leave an out

Head-on Collisions Many reasons why a vehicle may be in your lane Loss of control Inattention Fell asleep Passing Emergency maneuver

How to Avoid the Head-on Know the five R’s Read the road ahead Reduce your speed Move to the Right – never go left Ride off to far right of lane or shoulder Don’t skid out of control - Re-align your vehicle

Split-Second Decisions You will be faced with some difficult decisions with little time to react You may have to hit a fixed object to avoid the head-on – e.g. guardrail, ditch, etc. If you must hit something – try to hit at an angle (glancing blow) This lowers the force of impact Every inch is a potential life saver

Emergency Stops If you must make an emergency stop Turn on four way flashers Pull off as far as possible Place warning devices within 10 minutes Turn to page 46 for instructions on placing warning devices on different types of roads

Session Five – Driving Conditions

Out of Your Control In this session, we will discuss the third category of factors – Other Conditions These are the factors in the driving environment that are out of your control

Uncontrollable Factors Light – too much or too little Weather – rain, snow, sleet, wind, etc. Road – shape, surface, construction Traffic – mix, flow, density OTHER DRIVERS

Hazards From These Conditions Reduced or limited visibility Reduced or limited traction Reduced or limited space

Responses to Hazards The way you respond depends on your experience, attitude, and decision-making ability

Handling Visibility Problems Sun glare – sun glasses, sun visor, take a break Headlight glare – look at the white line on side of road

Blinded By the Light When you get blinded by headlights, it can take your pupils 4 to 7 seconds to readjust. At 55 mph, you would travel between 360 and 560 feet!

See and Be Seen When visibility is reduced – turn on headlights Remember – “parking lights” are made for parking – if you need to turn on any lights go ahead and turn on your headlights

Do Not Overdrive Your Lights Properly adjusted headlights only shine about 400 feet on bright. If you are traveling at 55 mph it takes approximately 476 feet to stop. Translation – if you do not see a hazard at night until it is in your headlight path. You will not be able to stop.

Reduced or Limited Traction Can be as a result of poor conditions Can be as a result of poor driving abilities Can be a combination of both

Reduced Space City/urban traffic Construction zones Curves, alleys, two lane roads, parking lots Truckstops, docks, etc.

Defensive Driving Is Key Tight areas can be frustrating Keep your cool and be patient Always scan the area and be prepared to react

Session Six - Backing

G.O.A.L Before you start to back up Get Out And Look

Do’s for Backing Do get out and look behind you Do get out and look beside your truck Do look at the surface around you for hole, debris, etc. Do check for proper clearance Wires, overhead doors, fire escapes, etc. Do use a guide when available

More Do’s Do try to back from the driver’s side Do try to avoid backing out onto roadways Do back slowly

Do Not’s for Backing Do not be afraid to stop and take a pull up Do not be afraid to get out and take another look Do not continue to back if you cannot see your guide

Thank You All For Attending Before we leave Make sure you have turned in the completed registration card