By John Kuder
Regardless of their other job duties, driving is the most dangerous thing your van drivers do. Driving is more dangerous than spraying for pests, fixing electrical issues, or lifting heavy crates for delivery. That’s because when drivers and operators are behind the wheel, they face the greatest likelihood of an accident.
The risk goes beyond your drivers, though. Your company faces tremendous risk by putting drivers on the road. You could suffer major cost of loss due to:
- Vehicle damage
- Lost time dealing with accidents
- Increased insurance premiums
- Fines and court dates
- Worker’s compensation
- And much more
Accidents take up time, money, and resources. However, they don’t need to be a reality for your company. You can reduce accidents and injuries by educating your van drivers on the risks they face.
WHY THE RISK
We said that driving is the most dangerous thing your van drivers do, but why?
For starters, driving is inherently risky, but most non-CDL drivers receive no special training. A truck driver or bus operator goes to CDL school, receives special defensive driving training, and practices and hones their skills before hitting the road. Your van drivers face almost exactly the same risk as truckers and bus operators. The problem is, since they’re not CDL drivers, they receive no defensive driving training if you don’t provide it.
The fact is, if your employees must drive to perform their job duties, they’re professional drivers. Professional drivers need safety training to do their jobs effectively. The investment will save time and money while making your organization more efficient. Best of all, your employees will suffer fewer injuries.
COMMON RISKS
Now that it’s clear why van drivers face risk, let’s cover some of the specific safety challenges they face. These risks are specific to them compared to other folks out on the road, and they frequently lead to accidents.
The bad news is that these risks are so often overlooked. The good news is that these risks are all avoidable and the accidents they lead to are completely preventable. So, let’s look at the risks and some solutions you can teach to your drivers.
Following Distance/Rear-end collisions
When driving a sedan, a 2- to 3-second following distance is often enough to avoid rear-end collisions. However, that’s not always the case while driving a work van.
Work vans are often 1,000-lbs heavier than sedans. Sometimes the difference is even larger. With the increased weight, it takes these vehicles longer to stop than other vehicles on the road. Without an increased following distance, your employees face the risk of serious rear-end collisions.
We recommend a minimum 4-second following distance in normal, dry conditions for vans. In adverse weather or night driving, your van drivers should leave even more room. When you teach your van drivers to leave enough room in front of them, you will see your accident numbers drop significantly.
Blind Spots
Every vehicle has blind spots. Vans, however, have more blind spots than the average vehicle. Vans have blind spots behind the mirror heads, around the A-pillars, to either side, and behind them. These blind spots put your drivers at increased risk of accidents during turns, changing lanes, and backing. It especially increases the risk of a pedestrian or cyclist strike.
You need to educate your van drivers on how to cope with their blind spots. Specifically, your drivers should:
- Look around by checking their mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds
- Rock and roll in their seat before and during turns and while changing lanes
- Get out and look before backing
These three simple maneuvers will prevent the majority of accidents caused by van blind spots.
Clearance
Vans are not much taller than sedans, so man-made structures such as bridges, overpasses, and restaurant drive-through overhangs do not pose risk. However, your drivers still need to be aware of their clearance.
Low-hanging branches, wires, and other abnormalities on the road pose risk for vehicle damage and collisions for your drivers. This is especially true for high-top vans and any cargo van carrying something on its roof.
To compensate for this risk, your drivers must:
- Always know the height of the vehicle they’re driving
- Look ahead for instructions
- Never drive under something unless they are 100% certain they will fit
Rollover Accidents
When vans are transporting a large group of passengers or heavy cargo, their high center of gravity makes them prone to rollovers. Rollover accidents are one of the most serious accidents your drivers could have. Rollovers often lead to severe injuries and major damage to the vehicle. They can even be fatal.
However, rollover accidents are easy to prevent. They happen when your drivers take turns or curves too quickly. To prevent rollovers, drivers should:
- Look ahead for turns and curves in the road
- Slow down before reaching the turn/curve
- Slowly accelerate through the turn/curve
- Take turns going 3 to 5 miles per hour
- Take curves going below the recommended speed limit
Teach your drivers to use these defensive driving techniques at all times, not just when they’re carrying passengers or heavy cargo.
SAFETY CULTURE
Now that you understand these four safety concerns, it’s time to educate your drivers. But what’s the best way to go about it? Driver training and education is a process. It’s not a one-time event. For world-class safety results, you should:
- Assign self-directed training at point of hire
- Host in-person safety training within the first week of hire
- Host monthly safety meetings focused on your most important issues
- Center a large portion of your training around the four issues discussed in this article
When you follow this simple model, your savings on reduced cost of loss will be more than the cost of safety training.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John Kuder is a senior instructional designer at AvatarFleet, the creators of the non-CDL safety training course, The Fleet Safety Course. Find out more, visit www.avatarfleet.com/fsc.
