Truck Driver Safety : Articles

Some companies as a way of retaining drivers will allow them to take a spouse or child along with them while they are driving.  This practice has been around for years, however, you as the motor carrier must provide written authorization to have a...

In the next two weeks we will see many students returning to school after the summer break.  For some of these students this will be the first time since the pandemic started that they will be returning to school in person.  Pedestrian-vehicle...

This year's Brake Safety Week is scheduled for August 22-28, according to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). The enforcement campaign is a part of the larger Brake Safety Awareness Month, which takes place in August. During CVSA's...

On Tuesday, July 6, 2021, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposed to change the rules for windshield-mounted cameras in commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). The proposed changes would make filing for an exemption and prior...

The addition of four commonly prescribed opioids to the DOT drug testing panel effective January 1, 2018, has left some drivers and carriers with unanswered questions, especially when the Medical Review Officer (MRO) calls into question a driver's...

Prescription Drugs and Commercial Motor Vehicle Operation Do Not Always Mix Our society continues to be challenged with opioid overdoses. As managers of commercial drivers, we need to be aware of the medications our drivers are taking as they may...

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a final rule requiring State Driver Licensing Agencies to implement a system and practices for the exclusively electronic exchange of driver history record information through...

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA’s) Analysis & Information (A&I) online data, the top three hazardous materials regulations violations so far this year are as follows: Package not secure in vehicle...

We are now in the middle of work zone season and you cannot drive anywhere without experiencing a work zone. As traffic volumes begin rebounding as COVID-19 lockdown orders are relaxed, renewed emphasis is being placed on highway work zone safety...

A warning letter is your chance to improve your safety performance and compliance without further intervention from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Read the letter carefully because it identifies your company’s specific...

Drivers should be especially cautious of construction zones this summer. States are making a concentrated effort to raise the awareness of the dangers in these zones. Here are some safety tips you can share with your drivers regarding construction...

This crazy weather continues this year and the heat is setting record temperatures across North America. What are you doing to protect your employees from heat stroke and exhaustion? These conditions are created when our body is unable to regulate...

A proper pre-trip on ThermoKing and Carrier units is the start to Loading Best Practices: Initiate an automatic pretrip to identify any operational concerns while the reefer cycles through all its modes. Do not load truck/trailer if alarm codes...

When issues with your A/C system begin to occur internally, your truck will give you some warning signs. Listen to your truck and invest the time now to avoid spending more time in the shop later on. If you experience one or more of the following,...

FOR MANY, THE HEAT HAS BEEN HERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME With much of the U.S. experiencing unprecedented heat and drought, you’ll want to consider the following precautions to beat the heat while on the road during these hot summer months. Stay...

June 1st was the official start date of the 2021 hurricane season that runs through November 30th. If we have learned anything from prior storms, preparation is critical. Now is the time to re-evaluate emergency plans and update as needed. The...

Safe driving requires a combination of good vision, adequate visual field, ability to spread attention over the field of view, and motor skills. While protecting your eyes from UV is important, let’s not forget about how well you need to be able to...

Thanks to eyeandhealth.com, we found the below information to be extremely helpful to protect yourself from harmful UV rays. During the summer there is usually emphasis on protecting your skin from UV rays. But you shouldn’t forget about protecting...

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) provided a three-month extension to several emergency waivers enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Emergency Declaration and license and medical-card waivers were due to expire on...

This year's Brake Safety Week is scheduled for August 22-28, according to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). The enforcement campaign is a part of the larger Brake Safety Awareness Month, which takes place in August. During CVSA's...

The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Alliance has issued an Inspection Bulletin to assist roadside inspectors in identifying motor carriers.  The bulletin discusses use of documents and driver interviews to ensure that the inspection report, and any...

When is the last time you looked inside the cab, body, or trailer of the trucks that your drivers are operating? Over the years of inspecting and looking inside commercial motor vehicles for the companies I have worked for, I have seen the...

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Medical Review Board will meet via videoconference on May 19-20, 2021.  86 Fed. Reg. 23780 (May 4, 2021).  The MRB is an advisory committee to the FMCSA and provides the agency with input on current...

With ELD’s now in full swing, motor carriers feel that their hours-of-service violations have now been completely taken care of. However, there is one area of compliance that the ELD does NOT address, and that's a driver with other compensated...

Canada's electronic logging device (ELD) mandate, slated to be effective on June 12, is experiencing a slight detour. The mandate will still be effective on that date, but enforcement will be delayed. On May 5, 2021, the Canadian Council of Motor...

So how long do I have to keep records and documents that are required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations? Answer: It depends on which documents we are talking about.  The record retention requirements vary greatly.  I have summarized...

With the vaccines now in full swing, we are seeing the benefits and states and provinces are “opening” and lifting restrictions that have been in place with COVID-19.  We already have evidence that the driving habits of the general population...

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month Motorist awareness is an important component of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's comprehensive motorcycle safety program. Over two-thirds of fatal motorcycle crashes involve a motorcycle...

. Seat belts have been proven to be one of the best ways to save your life in a crash. Yet many still do not buckle up. Worse still, not wearing a seat belt is a habit that will pass on to impressionable youth who, in turn, will think it is safe to...

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposes to again extend the compliance date for several provisions of its Medical Examiner's Certification Integration final rule. The compliance date for these provisions was postponed...