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Safe Driving Practices

Falls Lake General Driver Safety

You are your employer’s most valuable asset! The way that you drive says everything about you and your company. Make a positive statement by following these work-related safe driving practices.

Stay Safe

  • Use a seat belt at all times – driver and passenger(s)
  • Be well-rested before driving
    • Avoid taking medications that make you drowsy
  • Set a realistic goal for the number of miles that you can drive safely each day
  • If you are impaired by alcohol or any drug, do not drive

Stay Focused

  • Driving requires your full attention
  • Avoid distractions, such as adjusting the radio or other controls, eating or drinking, and talking on the phone
  • Continually search the roadway to be alert to situations requiring quick action
  • For long distances, stop about every two hours for a break
    • Get out of the vehicle to stretch, take a walk, and get refreshed

Avoid Aggressive Behavior

  • Be patient and courteous to other drivers
  • Do not take other drivers’ actions personally
  • Plan your route ahead of time (bring directions)
  • Allow plenty of travel time
  • Avoid crowded roadways and busy driving times

Falls Lake Driver Safety- Seat Belt Policies

Everyone has heard that seatbelts save lives, but not everyone wears their seatbelt. Studies show about 1 in every 5 people do not wear their seatbelt. There are many reasons why people do not wear seatbelts, but the facts are that they save lives.

Excuses Why People Don't Wear Seatbelts

  • It's "not cool"
    • Teenagers are the least likely age group to wear seatbelts
    • Males are 10% less likely to wear their seatbelts
  • They are uncomfortable
    • To help comfort-buy an aftermarket pad to put on your seatbelt
    • Don't put it behind your back. Improperly wearing your seatbelt will make it less effective and may cause further injuries
  • The "It is more dangerous" myth
    • Research shows this is not true

Traffic crashes are the leading cause of on-the-job fatalities in America. Individuals who do not wear their seatbelts are more likely to be ejected from the vehicle in a crash.

Seatbelts serve as a restraint for passengers in a vehicle.

They restrain an individual to the seat instead of being ejected from the vehicle or being thrown around the interior of a vehicle in the instance of a crash.

Using a seat belt cuts the risk of death 45 - 60%. So always wear your seat belt.

Falls Lake Driver Safety- Cell Phone Policies

Cellphone use while driving is very prevalent on our roads today. In fact, at any given time throughout the day, approximately 660,000 drivers are attempting to use their phones while behind the wheel of an automobile. Using cell phones or other devices while driving has proven to be deadly.

Cellphone Use and Driving Statistics:

  • The National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year.
  • Nearly 390,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving.
  • 1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving.
  • Texting while driving is 6x more likely to cause an accident than driving drunk.
  • Answering a text takes away your attention for about five seconds. Traveling at 55 mph, that’s enough time to travel the length of a football field.
  • Texting while driving causes a 400% increase in time spent with eyes off the road.

Mitigation Actions:

  • Put the cell phone down while driving.
  • Put your cellphone on airplane mode to eliminate the urge to answer a text, call, or email alert.
  • Pull over to a safe area if you need to text or call
  • As a passenger, urge any driver to put the phone down.
  • Maintain a safe distance from drivers who are using a phone while driving

Safe Driving Technologies:

Modern technology is increasing the options for safer communication. There are apps that sense how fast a person is going, silencing text and phone alerts above 15 mph, and even allow drivers to compete against each other for the safest driving habits that can earn auto-insurance discounts for reducing their risk on the road.

Most cell phones will now read your texts aloud to you with a simple prompt of read my text messages, and most keyboards now offer a voice-to-text tool that allows users to speak their texts instead of typing them. Keep in mind that voice-to-text technology can still distract you from the road.

 

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