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DRIVING SAFELY

Leader’s Guide

© MARCOM GROUP LTD.

DRIVING SAFELY

This easy-to-use Leader’s Guide is provided to assist in conducting a successful presentation.

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INTRODUCTION: A brief description of the program and the subject that it addresses.

PROGRAM OUTLINE: Summarizes the program content. If the program outline is discussed before the video is presented, the entire program will be more meaningful and successful.

PREPARING FOR AND CONDUCTING THE PRESENTATION: These sections will help you set up the training environment, help you relate the program to site-specific incidents, and provide program objectives for focusing your presentation.

REVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: Questions may be copied and given to participants to document how well they understood the information that was presented. Answers to the review questions are provided separately.

INTRODUCTION

While few of us are "professional drivers" such as truckers who are trained, tested and certified, most of us do drive a every day. Driving may even be an important part of our jobs. Most employees do not see driving as a dangerous activity, yet motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death on the job. Overall, each year more than 30,000 lives are lost, and more than one million people are seriously injured, from accidents.

Because traffic accidents can cause pain, suffering and death, employees need to learn how to avoid accidents by developing safe driving skills. Everyone should learn how to minimize the risks involved with driving any type of vehicle and how to avoid dangerous driving situations both on and off the job.

This program reviews information about:

• the four factors that are responsible for most traffic accidents

• the role of regular vehicle maintenance in preventing accidents

• test driving to learn how to avoid dangerous driving situations

• following basic driving rules to dramatically reduce accidents and injuries

• recognizing and avoiding driving hazards

• handling a vehicle when confronted with poor conditions • handling a vehicle safely during emergency situations

PROGRAM OUTLINE CAUSES OF DRIVING ACCIDENTS

• Driving maybe a critical part of our daily lives even though we may not be professional drivers.

• The number one cause of death on the job is traffic accidents, claiming more than 30,000 lives and causing more than a million injuries each year.

• Most accidents are caused by the human factors of distraction, frustration, fatigue and alcohol/drug use.

• Eliminate distractions caused by eating, reading a map, talking on a phone by pulling to the side.

• Learn to stay focused by keeping calm and alert even when frustrated, stressed, or angry.

• Open a window or turn on the radio when feeling drowsy; make a stop and rest if tired.

• Driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol slows flexes, impairs judgement, and is a cause of more than 50% of fatal traffic accidents; identify a designated driver who will not drink when you and your friends do.

PREPARING TO DRIVE

• Before starting on a trip, inspect tire inflation and tread, headlights and directional flashers, and replace any burned out bulbs.

• Check the presence and condition of basic emergency gear, including spare tire, jack and tire iron; jumper cables; flashlight; first aid kit; a spare can of motor oil; and warning markers.

• Adjust the driver's seat for comfort and driving position, and position the to reduce blind spots.

• Become familiar with the vehicle before entering traffic by going for a test drive in a lot, checking blind spots before backing up, testing both the steering and brakes, checking the turning radius and stopping distance.

• You are twice as likely to survive a crash if you put on your seat belt; it prevents you from colliding with the steering wheel, dash or window and minimizes damage to your internal organs.

BASIC DRIVING RULES

• Obey all speed limit and traffic signs, and adjust speeds to meet the road conditions.

• To indicate your intentions and to give others time to react, signal lane changes and turns early.

• The key to defensive driving is paying attention to where are around you; watch brake lights, and maintain space around the vehicle.

• Apply the four second rule to maintain a safe following distance; count the seconds it takes you to reach the same landmark passed by the vehicle in front of you; if the time is less than four seconds, decrease your speed to follow safely or increase speed to pass the vehicle.

DEFENSIVE DRIVING

• Do not tailgate trucks because by doing so, you will neither be able to see around them nor respond quickly enough in a sudden stop.

• Maintain a side space cushion at the side of your vehicle to allow maneuvering room if the another vehicle drifts into your travel lane and to minimize buffeting or strong, wild air currents from passing trucks.

• Check mirrors and blind spots to see what surrounding traffic is doing.

• Reduce speed if a vehicle tailgates your vehicle to prevent being rear-ended. When passing a vehicle, do not linger in the other vehicle's blind spot; signal the lane change when adequate passing room is available.

• Be particularly attentive when traveling along with a truck; because a truck takes a lot more room to pass, never cut it off after passing.

MINIMIZING THE EFFECTS OF CHANGING ROAD CONDITIONS

• Keep up-to-date on weather delays, select alternate routes, and allow extra travel time.

• Keep the , head lights, tail lights and turn signals clean and clear to maintain visibility for seeing and being seen.

• Adjust to slippery road conditions by reducing speed, increasing following distance, slowing before turning, applying brakes sooner and slowly, and avoiding puddles and icy patches.

• Exercise extra caution during the dawn and dusk periods and turn on head lights to be seen.

• Adjust headlight brightness for seeing and being seen; slowdown and use low beams when behind other vehicles, facing oncoming traffic or when driving in snow or fog; use high beams the rest of the time.

REACTING TO EMERGENCIES

• Maintain control whatever the emergency condition.

• When tires lose contact with the road, adjust for the loss of friction and increase in momentum by taking your foot off the gas to keep the vehicle from skidding; steer in the direction of the skid.

• Prevent hydroplaning by taking your foot off the gas to reduce speed and to allow the tires to channel water out of the way.

• Steer in the opposite direction of the pull that results when a blowout occurs; accelerate to reduce the pull and do not apply the brakes.

• In case of an accident, stay calm, turn off the engine, check for injuries, and do not move the vehicles.

• Immediately report the accident to the police or ask a passerby to phone in the accident; don't leave the accident scene; exchange insurance information; report accidents to supervisors if company vehicles are involved, and obtain a copy of the accident report.

PREPARE FOR THE SAFETY MEETING OR TRAINING SESSION

Review each section of the Leader's Guide as well as the videotape program.

Here are a few suggestions for using the program:

Present the videotape program to all employees.

Emphasize that it is the responsibility of each employee to follow safe driving practices.

Emphasize the teaching points presented in the Program Outline section of the Leader's Guide.

Discuss specific incidents in which following proper driving practices might have prevented injuries and accidents that occurred in the facility.

Photocopy the Review Questions in the Leader's Guide to check each program participant's understanding of the information you present.

Here are some suggestions for preparing your videotape equipment and the room or area you use for conducting your training session:

Check the room or area for quietness, adequate ventilation and temperature level, lighting and unobstructed access into and out of the room.

Check the seating arrangement and the audiovisual equipment to ensure that all participants will be able to see and hear the videotape program.

Place or secure extension cords to prevent them from becoming a tripping hazard.

CONDUCTING THE PRESENTATION

Begin the meeting by welcoming the participants. Introduce yourself and give each person the opportunity to become acquainted if there are new people joining the training session.

Explain that the primary purpose of the program is to provide basic information about driving safely. After presenting the video in its entirety, lead a discussion on each teaching point. The discussion should focus on how specific job-related accidents, illnesses, or injuries involving driving vehicles may have been prevented by following good safety practices.

Distribute the review questions to check participant's understanding of the information presented to them.

DRIVING SAFELY REVIEW QUIZ

Name______Date______

The following questions are provided to check how well you understand the information presented during this program.

1. The leading cause of death on the job is______. a. falls b. vehicle accidents c. struck-by accidents

2. A factor in most fatal accidents is ______. a. anger b. distraction c. confusion

3. A blind spot is caused ______. a. by bright reflections on a side window or b. by an imperfection in the windshield c. when you can’t see because mirrors are out of adjustment

4. The safety reason to take a vehicle for a test drive is to ______. a. check the smoothness of the ride b. check the steering and brakes c. feel the power of the engine

5. Wearing seatbelts ______. a. reduces the extent of injury from impact b. obstructs the ability to move in the vehicle c. can actually cause injury in some cases

6. The key to defensive driving is keeping ______. a. track of vehicles in front, beside and behind you b. the windshield and headlights clean c. the brakes in good condition

7. Your response to a tailgater should be to ______. a. pump your brakes b. speed up c. slow down

8. A practice you should observe when driving at dusk is to ______. a. put your parking lights on b. turn on your headlights c. schedule a break during hard-to-see times

9. An action that is not recommended when driving on slippery is______. a. reducing speed b. decreasing following distances c. braking slowly

10. The correct emergence response is that you should steer into ______. a. a pull resulting from a tire blow-out b. a skid whether on an icy road or wet road c. the direction of a skid or a pull

DRIVING SAFELY ANSWERS TO THE REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. b

2. b

3. c

4. b

5. a

6. a

7. c

8. b

9. b

10. b