Crashes involving delivery truck drivers contribute significantly to road accidents yearly. According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, there were more than 100,000 injuries and 300,000 accidents involving delivery vehicles in 2012.   

If you operate a delivery business, here are some road safety tips to protect your drivers.

1.   Employ professional drivers

Your vetting process shouldn’t only be limited to your core office employees. It should also be extended to your drivers.

While screening drivers, ensure you go for those with the skills and experience to operate a commercial vehicle safely.

Check their license. You could even go further to conduct a road test for them. This will help you gauge their driving skills, ensuring that you only hire those fit enough for the job at hand. 

2.   Encourage employees to practice defensive driving

Aside from screening and hiring professional drivers with experience and a good track record driving commercial vehicles, delivery companies must provide drivers with enough training.

The training, which includes lectures about defensive driving, will help hone their driving skills, thus reducing the chances of getting involved in accidents or crashes. 

3.   Implement company policy that promotes safety

Overworking your drivers can result in fatigue, one of the leading causes of road accidents. 

To ensure that your drivers are mentally alert and energized when at the wheel, consider implementing company policies that promote safety and communicate the significance of workplace safety to your drivers.

4.   Make emergency protocols

No one prays for emergencies. However, you must plan for them. 

And how do you do that? 

By making emergency protocols designed to save your drivers from dire situations.You should lay down easy-follow emergency protocols that explain what to do should your delivery drivers experience brake failures, tire punctures, road rage, or minor accidents. 

In case of accidents, you may want to lay down instructions for your drivers to follow. Advise them to call the police, record the accident scene, exchange contact with the other driver, and get treatment if injured. You may want to contact a top car accident lawyer, especially when the at-fault driver’s insurance company doesn’t seem to be cooperating.

5.   Maintain your delivery vehicles

There are many causes of road accidents including human error and mechanical issues. You can address the latter by carrying out regular vehicle check ups to ensure it’s in good shape. This will guarantee the safety of your drivers and the items to be delivered.

You shouldn’t allow drivers to operate a faulty delivery truck—no matter how minor the issue is—to avoid accidents. Remember, the condition of your delivery truck determines what happens on the road.

6.   Easy communication

There should be constant communication between your delivery driver and the management team to ensure that real-life issues are dealt with quickly to avoid delayed delivery or escalation.

In addition to addressing issues fast, communication can help the delivery drivers get the best schedule for their operations, reducing pressure and stringent delivery deadlines.

It can also help drivers address issues of bad weather conditions and reschedule their trips with solid collaboration with the management team.

7.   Ensure that drivers aren’t distracted

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of crashes, causing 14% to 17% of all crashes. To ensure that your drivers stay focused while driving, train them on how to avoid distractions.

Restrict the use of phones while driving and advise the drivers to Exercise control over the wheel. Putting these measures in place will reduce driver fatigue and increase focus.

With a focus on the road, the drivers can make early deliveries to boost customer satisfaction and improve your brand.

8.   Advice the drivers to take breaks and rests

You should encourage your drivers to take breaks and rest while driving, especially when embarking on long-distance journeys. This will ensure that they don’t experience drain-out. Plus, it will boost their overall efficiency.

Don’t rush your drivers or force them to stick to a tight schedule that could raise their risk of getting involved in an accident or sustaining injuries. Remember they are humans like you. Consider this when dishing out instructions to them.

9.   Reward safe driving

Safe driving is a trait that’s worth commending. So when your delivery drivers display this trait consistently, try to reward them. This will encourage them to stick with their safe driving habits, which is a good thing for them and your business generally.

Conclusion

Crashes involving employees cost employers a lot in expenses like medical care, liability, property damage, and lost productivity. As the owner of a delivery business, you can avoid these costs by providing your delivery drivers with the tips above. 

Originally Published on https://www.breakfastleadership.com/

Michael Levitt Chief Burnout Officer

Michael D. Levitt is the founder & Chief Burnout Officer of The Breakfast Leadership Network, a San Diego and Toronto-based burnout consulting firm. He is a Keynote speaker on The Great Resignation, Quiet Quitting and Burnout. He is the host of the Breakfast Leadership show, a Certified NLP and CBT Therapist, a Fortune 500 consultant, and author of his latest book BURNOUT PROOF.