Road Safety Week - How to stay safe in the haulage industry

As we celebrate and raise awareness of road safety week from the 15th - 21st November, we’re bringing you our top tips for how to stay safe in the haulage industry.

Always be alert

Now we know this might sound obvious but it does need re-iterating as it’s so important.  Think about who is in front and behind your vehicle?  What can you see happening further down the road?  Do you have a clear idea of the action you’d take right now if you had to act fast?

Take regular breaks

Fatigue contributes to a fifth of all road crashes worldwide with one in eight drivers admitting to falling asleep at the wheel. Drivers are most at risk of tiredness in the morning and mid-afternoon, driving is a complex task – you have to process huge amounts of information and driver fatigue affects behaviour and safety.

Tired drivers have slower reaction times and reduced attention, awareness and ability to control their vehicles.

Carry out regular inspections and maintenance

A driver has to know a lot about the vehicle they’ll be driving to operate it safely. Loads have to be within the capability of the truck and be loaded, balanced and secured in the proper fashion. All critical components have to be diligently maintained and inspected by a competent person prior to setting out on a long haul.

A comprehensive inspection and maintenance program should identify all equipment needing routine maintenance, and follow up to make sure it is completed.

Plan thoroughly

Make a thorough plan of every aspect of your journey.  Planning every aspect of the journey from initiation through to delivery is crucial to the success of the trip.  In addition to this, an integral part of project planning is understanding the specific dimension and weight of the necessary equipment or products being transported.

Use technology

You can use route optimisation and planning solutions/software to help you:

·         Plan routes to avoid busy, built-up areas

·         Set up temporary exclusion zones to avoid busy events

·         Use automated systems to send updates to customers

·         Plan safer journeys with real-time satellite navigation.

Did you know, we’ve signed up to be a Global Fleet Champion?  This fantastic partnership initiative, overseen by academic and practitioner experts working in the field of occupational risk is administered by Brake, the road safety charity.  We’re proud to support such a great initiative and help make our roads a safer place.