Speed has a price tag

There’s a correlation between speed and efficiency and it’s very direct – as speed goes up, efficiency goes down!

To prove this point, an actual test was done.  Two drivers left Minneapolis for the exact same destination on the East Coast.  Both had identical tractors, trailers and loads.  Driver A was instructed to drive over the speed limits and “drive hard” – Driver B was instructed to obey the speed limits and practice good driving techniques.

In the course of the trip, Driver A passed 2,000 vehicles, applied his brakes 1,399 times and drove an average of 49.7 mph.  He reached his destination in 20 hours and 12 minutes.

Driver B passed 13 vehicles, applied his brakes 652 times and drove an average of 48.9 mph.  He reached the same destination in 20 hours and 43 minutes.

Driver A reached the destination only 31 minutes faster than Driver B – not a big difference especially when you consider:
• He passed 1,987 more vehicles than Driver B, exposing himself and other motorists to danger each time
• He applied his brakes 747 times more often than Driver B, increasing maintenance costs by increased wear on the brakes, brake drums and tires
• He used approximately 10 gallons more fuel than Driver B on this 1,000-mile trip

The American Trucking Association Maintenance Council reports that increased speeds increase overall operational costs.  They’ve done studies which show that running at maximum speed limits can increase maintenance costs 10% to 15% and decrease vehicle component durability 10% to 15%.

Bottomline:  Trucks running at higher speeds use more fuel, significantly increase the wear on vehicle components and, most importantly, put the driver, the equipment and other motorists at an increased risk for accidents!

How YOU Can Be A Better Driver…

• Watch your speed…Posted maximum speeds are for ideal driving conditions.  Adjust your speed for traffic, road and visibility conditions or when not operating at your best.  Higher speeds magnify your errors and provide less time to identify and react to a hazard.  Stopping distances are longer and crashes are more severe at higher speeds
• Keep your distance…Give yourself room to maneuver – you’ll need it in an emergency!  To protect yourself, keep a large “safety cushion” around your vehicle
• Signal your intentions…Be courteous and signal your intentions so other drivers know what you plan to do next
• Focus on the road…Being attentive allows you to respond quickly when other drivers make poor choices.  Remain calm – don’t let your frustration cause you to react recklessly
• Minimize your distractions…Taking your hands off the wheel, your eyes off the road or your mind off of driving puts you and others at risk.  Driving demands your total concentration!
• Continually scan for hazards…Keep your eyes moving, looking from one side to the other.  Know what is happening well ahead of you – watch for taillights.  Know what is to the rear and sides of your vehicle – use your mirrors to keep an eye on traffic around and to the rear of your truck
• Share your space…Many accidents could be prevented if all drivers were more courteous.  Be aware of special needs and limitations of other drivers of various ages and skill levels, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists and vehicles of varying sizes
• Plan your route…Know where you’re going ahead of time.  Tune in to a local media source to be well-informed about weather and road conditions or traffic activity on your intended route to help you avoid delays
• Maintain your vehicle…In addition to the required daily inspection, make sure your mirrors, windows and outside lights are clean
• Always wear your seat belt…Seat belts are your best defense in an accident.  Being properly secured helps you maintain control of your vehicle in the event of an accident

Bad Weather Driving

Although this is the season for snow and ice in many parts of the country, you’ll also encounter rain and fog since you drive all 48 states.

RAIN:  When it first starts raining, the rain mixes with dirt, oil and grease on the road’s surface, making the roads slippery until the roads are washed clean.  These slick roads can last a few minutes or a few hours.

A heavy rain, causing water to stand on the road, can cause your truck to hydroplane.  Hydroplane means your tires are riding on a wall of water.  If they’re riding on a wall of water, they lose traction and loss of traction causes you to lose steering control of your rig.  You can prevent hydroplaning by slowing down!

Visibility is also a concern when driving in rain.  Improperly functioning windshield wipers and washers can cause visibility problems.  And your windows can fog up quickly when it rains.  Use your defroster and/or fan or open a window slightly to alleviate this problem.

When traveling in rain, it’s wise to reduce your speed and increase the distance between your truck and the vehicle in front of you to allow more time to stop.

FOG:  The greatest challenge in foggy conditions is obviously reduced visibility.  However, fog also reduces your ability to judge distance – vehicles ahead of you may be closer than they seem to be.

Low beam headlights should be used when driving in fog.  As well as helping you see the roadway, low beam helps others to see your truck.  Don’t use high beam headlights – they actually cause additional visibility problems.

Use your windshield wipers to get rid of the accumulation of fine mist on your windshield which is caused by the fog and can increase visibility problems.

Reduce your speed and maintain a safe following distance to help prevent accidents when driving in fog.  If visibility is extremely poor, find a safe place to pull over and park until visibility improves.

SNOW:  It causes not only reduced traction, but also limited visibility.  When driving on a snow-covered road, accelerate slowly and smoothly to maintain control of your truck.  If your drive wheels slip while accelerating, stop accelerating and start over.  Steering and braking should also be done with extreme care to minimize the possibility of skids.  Falling snow can reduce visibility and wind increases visibility problems.  Use low beam headlights when the snow is falling or blowing.  “Snow hypnosis” can also pose a danger.  This is caused when you travel directly into a heavy snow and begin to stare at the flakes.  This can have a hypnotic effect, particularly at night. 

Generally, to decrease the risks of driving in snow, slow down and increase your following distance.

ICE:  An icy road can be more dangerous than a snowy one!  Black ice is the most dangerous simply because you aren’t aware of it until it’s too late!  Black ice forms when temperatures drop rapidly and any moisture on the road freezes into a smooth, nearly invisible slippery coating on the road.  Bridges and overpasses can be dangerous as ice will form there first.  Cold air can circulate both above and below the surface of the bridge or overpass, causing moisture on the road to freeze more quickly than other areas.  Ice at or near the freezing point is more dangerous than colder ice.  Hot tires tend to stick better to colder ice than to ice at or near the freezing point.

When traveling on icy roads, your braking distance can increase four to 10 times that on a dry road.  So, again, slow down to increase your following distance and to allow for better vehicle control.

You need to be open with your doctor!

The next time you have an appointment with your doctor due to illness or injury, you should share with him/her the type of work you do and the physical demands of your job and be sure to ask questions about your treatment.

• Share with your doctor what your job responsibilities are.  Be sure to include driving and non-driving responsibilities such as load securement.  Your doctor will be better able to make an assessment of how your health will affect your job performance or how your job responsibilities will affect your health
• Ask about your treatment – what specifically the treatment will be and how it will impact your ability to safely drive a commercial motor vehicle
• If the prescribed treatment could have adverse effects on your ability to safely perform your job, ask your doctor if there are alternative treatments that are just as effective that would not affect your ability to do your job
• If medications are prescribed, always ask about the side effects – will they cause drowsiness, lack of concentration or decreased reaction time, for instance
• Inform your doctor of medications you are already taking including prescribed drugs, dietary supplements, over-the-counter meds and herbal remedies.   Any of these could interact with one another and cause serious reactions or decrease the effectiveness of your treatment
• Ask what you can do to improve your chances of a full recovery.  Simple changes such as losing weight, exercising, not smoking, drinking more water, improving your eating habits or getting more sleep can often make great improvements in your general health

Breakdowns in Winter

A breakdown in the cold conditions of winter, can be extremely dangerous.  Exposure to Mother Nature can cause frostbite and worse.
Here are a few hints on how best to handle a vehicle breakdown in the adverse conditions of winter:

• Stay in the cab of your truck if possible
• Put on extra clothing if you’re unable to run the engine or if the heater is not working
• Ration your food/beverage supplies – you could be stranded for a while depending on the conditions
• Open a window just slightly if your engine is running to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning
• It’s best not to walk for help.  If it’s absolutely necessary, leave a note attached to the steering wheel or somewhere visible, stating where you’re headed and when you’re likely to return

To help protect yourself in the winter months, you should be sure you’ve got the following in your truck:  windshield scraper, snow brush, small shovel, flashlight and warning devices, as well as emergency supplies of drinking water, extra food and medicine (as needed).  Make sure your cell phone/CB radio is in good working order and carry good outerwear such as a heavy jacket, heavy coveralls, hat, boots and gloves.