Q

As motorists, we’ve all experienced it. We’ve been on the road for a while. The highway seems endless, long, smooth, and monotonous. The radio is no longer holding our attention, and neither is the driving. You stare straight ahead, at miles and miles of road, as you start to feel your shoulders sag, and your eyes slowly … start to … close.
Abruptly, you open your eyes, and jerk up in your seat! You’ve drifted out of your lane and maybe even off the road! It’s one of the most unnerving experiences in driving.
Fatigue on the road can be a killer. It happens frequently on long drives, especially long night drives. You may have recognized some warning signs of fatigue in the above scenario. Other signs of fatigue include back tension, burning eyes, shallow breathing, inattentiveness, and any kind of erratic driving, such as drifting, abnormal speed, tailgating, or failing to observe traffic signs.

Tractor-trailer rollovers are the major cause of single-vehicle injuries and deaths every year. There are many factors that contribute to tractor-trailer rollovers, including foreseeable driver error, vehicle malfunctions, and highway conditions.

Tractor-trailer rollovers can occur at exit and entrance ramps of highways when the truck driver underestimates the curve and takes it too fast. Generally, the driver does not even know the trailer is rolling until he looks in his mirrors and sees the wheels lift off the ground. Load shifting can also be a cause of tractor-trailer rollovers, as can jack-knifing. A tractor-trailer can jack-knife if the drive wheels lock while the front wheels and trailer continue to move forward. Slick roads, swerving to avoid another vehicle, and taking curves too fast can all result in jack-knifing.

Exercise common courtesy for all drivers. Let them merge into traffic from entrance ramps or other lanes. Signal lane changes. If someone makes a mistake or drives aggressively, take three deep breaths and let it go.

Keep a safe distance at all times and avoid tailgating to reduce the risk of accidents by allowing more reaction time for abrupt stops. Besides—it's a lot easier to see road signs, traffic signals, and changes in traffic if there's some distance between you and a truck in front of you.

Safe, courteous driving is no accident. By knowing and following the rules of the road and staying alert, you'll enjoy your time behind the wheel.

1. Trucking is a very dangerous profession, about 600 drivers a year die in highway accidents.

2. Driving certain types of rigs like tankers and flatbeds is probably the most dangerous major occupations in the country.

3. About 55% of all class 8 (semis) driver fatalities occur in rollover accidents.

4. Another 10% occur in fuel oil fires.

A pre-trip inspection is one of the most important thing that can be done to help insure the safe operation of your vehicle. The pre-trip inspection can catch items that will cause the vehicle not to operate correctly in an emergency situation. Checking items before you leave is the only way to know that if you need stop or change direction quickly you vehicle will operate the way you need it to. Once you are in a bad situation it is too late. Checking the brake adjustment is one major item can reduce your chance of an accident, once you need the brakes is not a good time to find out they are not working properly. Tire pressure is another item that should be check regularly, not only does it save money at the pump but if you have to swerve to avoid hitting something a low or flat tire can cause a vehicle to handle very poorly or even roll over. The lights on you vehicle should be checked regularly as well, if you can't see or be seen and you can not signal your intentions to other drivers you greatly increase your chances of an
avoidable accident.

Big rigs roll easily. You can put a number on the tendency that a vehicle has to rollover- the higher the better (safer). Full size cars are about 1.3, pickups are 1.1, Jeep type vehicles are 0.8- 1.0. Fully loaded semis are about 0.4
or lower.

These numbers are the cornering "g's" required to roll the vehicle. No car can generate 1.3 g's in cornering but your rig can probably generate 0.4 g's going around a corner or in a variety of other maneuvers involving steering. If you go around a curve too fast, you will go over, but you probably already knew this. Here are some things you may not know

You can roll your rig at speeds as low as 5 mph, especially on slopes or where a strong tipping influence is present.
You can roll backing up if you're jackknifed.

It doesn't take long in your career as a professional driver to realize that there are really only two seasons when it comes to driving. Now that winter has come and gone you must face the hot roads and the dreaded construction season. More people die on the road during the summer months than at any other time of the year, including the winter holiday season. Alcohol, fatigue, and aggressive driving are often implicated in these tragedies.

Safety Council estimates that 85% of collisions are preventable. But simply being in the right is not enough to save you from injury or death. You must be prepared for the unsafe actions of other motorists or for poor driving conditions

Summer is construction season, and it is important to pay extra attention to your driving, as there are more people in leisure mode as they take road trips with their families or friends. With all the extra traffic and new lane restriction popping up every day road rage is on the upswing. Here are a couple driving tips to remember when you take to the road in
the summer heat.

1. Loosen up. Getting yourself worked up while driving won't get you there any faster.

2. Make your trip heavenly. Pleasurable travel depends on the mood inside your vehicle.

"Give 'Em a Brake" and "Road Safe" are two national programs that deter drivers from traveling too fast around road construction crews. In 2000, 1,093 people died in highway construction zone fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That includes drivers, nondrivers and workers. So please "Give'em a brake" and slow down when you enter "the zone."

As a professional driver you are held to a higher standard when it come to the rules of the road. A new attitude on the road will increase your ability to operate your vehicle safely and skillfully.

A: There are several things you must do immediately if you're involved in an accident:

1. Check Me First
First is to check yourself. If you are injured, you probably cannot assist others. If you are not injured, survey the scene for dangers (spilled liquids, downed electrical wires, fires, extreme conditions, etc.) and check others for injuries.
2. Check on Others
If you've had First Aid training and there are injuries, take care of the victims up to the level of your training and remember the basics. Never go beyond your training!
3. Secure the Scene
Next is to properly secure the scene. The driver on scene must secure the area around the truck to prevent further damages. This may consist of turning off the motor, turning on the emergency flashers and setting out the emergency reflectors. Get others to assist by making telephone calls to authorities, emergency services and warning others.
Remember to keep a level head and give information out to only company or local officials. NEVER say, "I'm sorry" or "We'll take care of it" or "It's my fault." Those statements will end up in a court of law and will be used against you!
4. Gather Data and Notify Your Company
DO NOT ADMIT FAULT, the driver should contact the appropriate official in the company as soon as possible after an incident. Prior to calling, the driver should gather a few basic facts to report. These facts include, but are not limited to the following: Date, time and exact location of the occurrence. Is the driver all right? Are there any injuries to anyone else? Who is involved: names and addresses? Are there any witnesses: names addresses and telephone numbers? What is the name of the other party's insurance company and policy number? What are the unit numbers of the equipment involved? What is the trip number? Is there any cargo damage; if so, to what extent? Is there a hazardous materials release? What direction were you traveling? If a camera is available, photograph the scene from all directions.
5. Detailed Driver Report
Remember all that happens on the scene needs to be documented by a statement from the driver. Document what happened and the actions taken. What were the names of the emergency response officers and their badge numbers? What jurisdiction were the officers from? Was there a citation issued, and to whom and what for? On the witnesses: What did they see? What did they hear? What was their position in relation to the accident? Did they know if there were any contributing factors to the accident like abnormal conditions or speed?
Take photos of the approach to the accident. Ensure that any marks left on the highway are measured--width, distance, type of roadway and surface. Take photos of each side of the accident and the going away view. Make sure that photos are taken of other involved vehicles including equipment numbers or license plates, as well as the surrounding general conditions and weather conditions.
If persons involved in the accident are up and walking around, photograph them as well. This documentation must be accomplished as soon as possible after the preliminary initial steps to preserve a clear picture of the accident. Forward the report and the file to the appropriate company official via overnight courier. If available, the digital photos and the report can be electronically sent.
6. DOT Drug Tests
If this is a DOT reportable accident (§390.5: fatality, injury requiring medical treatment away from the scene or a vehicle disabled in the accident requiring a tow away) than a DOT drug test is required per §382.303. The driver is required to accomplish the alcohol test within two (2) hours and drug test within thirty-two (32) hours. Usually both tests are conducted at the same time. Look in your truck to see of your company installed a drug test kit. The driver needs to inform police officers of the urgency of this testing. Many state patrol officers are certified to give this test on scene. If not, request that you be released to obtain these services.