Communicating with other Drivers and Pedestrians While Driving

Get ready to dive into this week's Safety Bulletin, we discuss the importance of communication on the road. Read the full bulletin board here and make sure you are signed up to receive the safety bulletin straight to your email! 

Awareness of yourself and others on the road will drastically reduce the chances of an accident. Using communication on the road makes it easier for drivers to see you and for you to see drivers. We communicate correctly by using the following communication devices in our vehicles.

• Turn signals let other drivers know you are turning, changing lanes, pulling out of a parking space, or pulling out from the curb. You should signal at least four seconds before you plan to take action.
• Emergency Signals are used to warn other drivers that you are experiencing vehicle trouble or when you must park on the shoulder of the roadway for an emergency. Emergency signals are a warning signal to other drivers; they let them know to make space and move around you if needed.
• You can tap the horn lightly to gain the attention of another driver. Please do not use it to vent your frustrations on the road.
• Headlights help other drivers see you. You can flash your lights for oncoming traffic to warn them of dangers up ahead, such as accidents or obstructions in the roadway.

Turn Signals

Use turn signals to indicate your intent to change lanes, visually scan for adjacent traffic and road hazards, and then execute a safe lane change. By signaling your intentions well in advance, you will be in a safer position to communicate with the surrounding drivers, and you will be able to execute the desired driving maneuver safely. A good safety practice is to signal at least 4 seconds before turning.

Did You Know?

A recent study reported approximately 630,000 lane-change crashes annually (including large trucks and passenger vehicles). While you certainly wouldn't know it from watching most drivers out there, using a turn signal to indicate a lane change is generally the law.

Emergency Signals (4 Ways)

FMCSA 392.22 Emergency signals; stopped commercial motor vehicles. Whenever a commercial motor vehicle halts upon the traveled portion of a highway or the shoulder of a highway for any cause other than necessary traffic stops, the driver of the stopped commercial motor vehicle shall immediately activate the vehicular hazard warning signal flashers and continue the flashing until the driver has placed the warning devices required by CFR 395.22. The flashing signals shall be used when the warning devices are picked up for storage before the movement of the commercial motor vehicle. The flashing lights may be used at other times while a commercial motor vehicle is stopped in addition to, but not in place of, the warning devices required by this section.

Horn

The horn on a commercial motor vehicle is a safety device that can be the sole item that can prevent an accident by sounding an alarm and communicating your presence to another vehicle. The sound of a horn is one of the few actions a driver takes that can intrude into the driving compartment of another vehicle. However, we all know of drivers that have abused the use of a horn and may cause an accident by startling another motorist. There have been instances of Road rage documented that all started with the misuse of a horn. Horns on commercial vehicles vary in size from small electric (city horns) to large exterior-mounted chrome trumpeted air horns. Novelty horns playing familiar tunes to college football fight songs are also popular.

So what does the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration say about a horn?

CFR§393.81:

Every bus, truck, truck-tractor, and driven motor vehicle in driveaway-towaway operations shall be equipped with a horn and actuating elements in such condition as to give an adequate and reliable warning signal.

§393.81 DOT Interpretations:

Q: Do the FMCSRs specify what type of horn will be used on a CMV?

A: No.

Q: Are there established criteria in the FMCSRs to determine the minimum sound level of horns on CMVs?

A: No.

Q: Can I drive my commercial motor vehicle if the horn is not operational?

A: NO- CFR§392.7 

Equipment inspection and use

No commercial motor vehicle shall be driven unless the driver is satisfied that the following parts and accessories are in good working order, nor shall any driver fail to use or make use of such parts and accessories when and as needed:

Service brakes, including trailer brake control, Parking (hand) brake., Steering mechanism, Lighting devices and reflectors, Tires, horns, Windshield wipers or wipers, Rear-vision mirrors or mirrors, and Coupling devices.

Headlights

Many companies now have trucks programmed to have low-beam headlights on whenever the engine runs. Many states have laws that now require headlights to be on any time windshield wipers are in use. Both are good safety practices.

Are the headlights on your truck fogged or dirty? Do you ensure your headlights, turn signals, and brake lights are clean during pre and post-trip inspections?

Per the National Institute for Traffic and Highway Safety, the number one reason for severe nighttime accidents and reduced driving safety is dim or cloudy and improperly lit headlights. If a headlight has ineffective or diminished light output, your nighttime driving safety is significantly at risk. According to a study by the University of Iowa, a 20 to 50% reduction in headlight output leads to a 90% increase in the possibility of an accident. Foggy lights are unnecessary; you should always clean, replace or fix these headlights.

Dim it!

Q: Is flashing high beams at cars illegal? Someone told me that flashing your headlights at a vehicle in front of you, particularly if it is going slow in the fast lane, is a citable offense. Is this true?

A: Yes, in some states, that is true.

The main concern of flashing an oncoming motorist is that they may be temporarily blinded and may create blind spots for other motorists while operating their vehicles, thus creating and hazardous situation.

National Work Zone Awareness Week April 17-21st

National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is an annual spring campaign to encourage safe driving through highway work zones and construction sites at the start of construction season. The key message is for drivers to use extra caution in work zones. For more information, check out the link below:

http://www.nwzaw.org

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has announced this year’s International Roadcheck dates as May 16-18

Roadcheck is a 72-hour high-visibility, high-volume commercial motor vehicle inspection and enforcement initiative. Commercial motor vehicle inspectors in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. will conduct North American Standard Inspections of commercial motor vehicles and drivers at weigh and inspection stations, roving patrols, and temporary inspection sites.

Each year, CVSA focuses on a specific aspect of roadside inspection. This year the focus will be on anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and cargo securement. ABS violations are not out-of-service violations; however, the anti-lock braking system is critical in reducing collisions. A properly functioning ABS will prevent wheels from locking up or skidding, allowing a driver to maintain vehicle control while braking. Improper or inadequate cargo securement accounted for 10.6% of all vehicle out-of-service violations discovered during last year’s International Roadcheck. Past International Roadcheck data routinely found cargo securement violations in the top five of vehicle out-of-service violations. 

Registration is now open online for the 2023 Idealease/NPTC Safety Seminars!

Data Utilization in Transportation Safety

Idealease and the National Private Truck Council NPTC will again host safety seminars in 2023.  The one-day seminar this year will focus on data available from trucks today with regard to safety, basic safety and compliance, regulation changes and CSA. The seminars will be provided to all Idealease customers, potential customers, and NPTC members at no charge.   The seminar provides essential information applicable to both novice and experienced transportation professionals.  Seminars currently available for registration have their venues secured.  If you cannot register for the seminar in your area, check back, as registration availability will be added as the venues are secured.  This information will be updated weekly in this bulletin.  To register for an upcoming seminar in 2023, click on the following link:

http://www.idealease.com/safety-seminar-registration

FALL SEMINARS (Sept-Oct)

*The Idealease Safety Bulletin is provided for Idealease locations and their customers and is not to be construed as a complete or exhaustive source of compliance or safety information. The Idealease Safety Bulletin is advisory in nature and does not warrant, guarantee, or otherwise certify compliance with laws, regulations, requirements, or guidelines of any local, state, or Federal agency and/or governing body, or industry standards.