Driving Habits: Good, Bad, and Ridiculous

“We pick up driving habits from the first time we get behind the wheel...some are good, some bad, and some are absolutely ridiculous. Instilling a good safety attitude from the top down in your organization is key to protecting your drivers.” That was the message from Phil Moser, Associate Director of Global Driver Safety, Syneos Health, in his presentation at NAFA's 2019 Institute & Expo. A former police officer, Moser has seen it all when it comes to traffic crashes, a great many of which could have been avoided with simple common sense.

Fleet drivers can prevent accidents simply by slowing down, paying attention, planning their routes and being visible to other drivers, Moser said. There’s not much time to react when traveling at high speeds - for instance, traveling 75 mph means you’re covering 36.67 yards per second. Reaction time increases significantly when you slow down. An accident can happen faster than you can react, so always pay careful attention. “Scan 360, don’t be tunnel-visioned, look ahead and from side to side and check mirrors every five-to-seven seconds,” Moser said.

You’re still driving even when the vehicle’s not in motion, so it’s important to keep scanning the horizon and remain aware of your immediate surroundings because accidents and even carjackings can occur anytime. Always depend on your eyes and avoid becoming too reliant on safety technology, like cameras and proximity alarms, Moser advised.

Plan Ahead, Know Your Route - Speeding and poor driving habits tend to surface when drivers are in a hurry, Moser said, so plan routes in advance to avoid confusion, and give yourself enough time to drive and arrive safely. “Speeding is a habit and the result of poor planning,” he said. “Plan routes to avoid construction zones and school bus stops, and schedule meetings close to home late in the day due to fatigue.” Fatigue is a major cause of crashes, so stop every two hours on long drives to stay alert, and don’t depend on caffeine or rolling the windows down, which will only leave you “cold and tired,” Moser quipped.

Weather Wisdom - There’s a tendency among many drivers to assume they can drive safely on roads covered by snow and ice because they’re convinced they’ve “learned to do it properly,” Moser noted. “Tell your drivers to get a room if there is heavy snow and ice; it’s worth the price of a hotel room because stopping distance on a wet surface is just six seconds between vehicles,” he said. On ice, you have even less control and time to react. Moser advises in these cases that, “When the roads are that bad, no one should be driving.”