Driver negligence – not worth it

Accidents happen quickly. We try to avoid them, but consciously not enough effort is made to prevent them. It’s simple when you think about it. Keep your eyes on the road, concentrate on your surroundings, double check your vehicle’s road worthiness, be cautious… But when spending a lot of time on the road, as much as truck drivers do, the environment you work in becomes so familiar that being cautious can easily slip your mind. Such negligence is a main cause of road accidents and it can be prevented.

65% of all company vehicles are involved in road accidents once a year. This is according to a survey conducted by Abela’s Driver Safety Management. It might not seem like a lot, but think about the implications, such as towing services, insurance payouts and medical costs to name a few. We at Heavy Commercial Vehicle Underwriting Managers (Pty) Limited (HCV) know how important it is to put safety first and would like to encourage better driving behaviours for all road users – especially truckers.

In the event of an accident, insurance is important. So make sure you have knowledge of what exactly your insurance policy entails. Ask your broker questions about what’s on cover and be specific of what you expect from them. Sometimes insurance policies have exceptions that you might be unaware of. Especially focus on the small print and make sure there are no hidden costs involved. Preferably select an insurance underwriter that keeps their policy wording simple and easy to understand.

However, prevention is better than cure. It is our advice at HCV that truck drivers and owners follow these guidelines to avoid accidents from happening.

Safety
Safety is a precondition and should guide your driving behaviour. Once you are conscious of safety you eliminate chances of an accident happening. HCV has compiled a small checklist to ensure your safety on the road,
· Do a pre-trip inspection everyday
· Stabilise your load to prevent shifting
· Ensure that your vehicle is not overloaded
· Check that your brakes are working correctly
· See to it that your tyres have no air leaks or punctures
· Ensure that your spare wheel is intact
· Only drive suitable roads for your category vehicle
· Take extra caution when driving during and after heavy rainfall
· Do not let vehicle load/s exceed the permissible load weights in terms of the road traffic legislation.

Avoid negligence
Driver negligence results in irresponsible driving and should be prevented. Make sure of the following,
· Truck drivers are given reasonable deadlines, if not speeding might occur
· Vehicles are serviced per required intervals and regularly
· Truck drivers are expert drivers, with professional driving permits
· Truck drivers should negotiate obstacles, corners and road surfaces with care
· Truck drivers should adhere to speed limits
· The correct gears are used at different speeds
· Do not let the vehicle idle unnecessarily.

Have the correct attitude and mindset
At HCV we believe it’s necessary to have the correct mindset when on the road as it increases your safety.
· Avoid road rage
· Avoid reckless driving
· Stay focussed on the road.

Consider the following
Sometimes a small change can make a huge difference. The following helps to decrease road accidents,
· Driver training – HCV offers free in cab training to their clients and all other truck drivers
· Making sure drivers have valid licenses
· Installing driving monitoring devices into commercial vehicles
· Incentives to drivers for professionalism
· Encourage good driver behaviour

Follow these guidelines and help to boost our country’s road safety and ultimately enhance the transport industry’s efficiency. At HCV we care for trucks and truckers, so let’s make a conscious effort to avoid negligence on our roads.