According to ABRAMET, tiredness, including drowsy driving, is a contributing factor in 42% of all road crashes. Whether you are a professional driver transporting cargo or an employee who uses the company’s car for daily commute, the definition of best practices in driving and how to manage them is essential for a safer traffic.
To extend the discussion on this theme and show how fleet managers can mitigate these risks in traffic, we present some tips to help you preserve lives and take diligent care of your business.
Taking care of the safety of your fleet and your drivers = taking diligent care of your company.
Watch out for signs of fatigue
Did you know that a three-second nap with the car at 100 km/h means driving one hundred meters without controlling the vehicle?
A tired driver may lose the reflexes and motor skills, essential requirements for driving carefully and safely. Thus, a tired or sleepy driver is more likely to react in more radical ways to traffic unforeseen events, responding abruptly and increasing the risk of accidents.
Check out some signs of tiredness while driving
• Frequent yawning
• Boredom
• Heavy eyelids
• Delayed reactions to traffic lights or bumps
• Loss of attention in the vehicle
• Trouble keeping the head up
So, be aware of signs behind the wheel, such as yawning or loss of control, including drifting in the lane. If you are tired, or show signs of fatigue at the wheel, avoid driving.
Attention to the times of greater fatigue
Did you know that the time when we hit the road can influence our sense of fatigue? According to a study by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the risks of a driver falling asleep at 2 pm are fifty times higher than at 10 am.
The reason for that? Well, the human body is sensitive to changes – the so-called biological clock. Therefore, for most people, those times are the most common to feel tired or drowsy.
Times with higher risk of fatigue:
• From 2 am to 6 am
• From 2 pm to 4 pm
So, if you intend to drive for extended periods, pay attention to your body at those times to avoid signs of fatigue and risks at the wheel!
Preventing accidents = taking care of lives and your business
Taking care of drivers’ safety is a duty of every fleet manager. Putting employees’ lives first means taking diligent care of your business. Avoiding moments of fatigue or distraction is an integral part of this work.
In cases of accidents with fatalities, the impact for a company may be irreversible. An accident caused by a company vehicle is the employer responsibility, who must respond to lawsuits, pay fines, and even be sentenced to prison.
Taking all those concerns and duties into account, there are tools that can provide the necessary support for fleet management, mitigating risks, increasing the drivers safety and avoiding other types of losses for the company.
