Truck Driver Safety : Articles

Question of the Week: My driver has gone through a roadside inspection; how long do I have to keep this documentation on file? Answer: Copies of all roadside inspections are to be kept by the motor carrier for 12 months. The driver is required to...

Roadside inspections are a way of life for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. They take on special emphasis during the annual Commercial Vehicle Safety Administration (CVSA) International Roadcheck, set for June 4-6 this year in North America....

Safety belt use remains one of the cheapest, easiest, and most important means to protect commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. Safety belts also help prevent serious damage and injury to others, because buckled drivers are better able control...

Seat belt violations are high and unnecessary.  This violation carries a point weighting of 7 and is detrimental to the carriers “Unsafe Driving” basic score in the CSA SMS.  By drivers operating your trucks and NOT wearing a seat belt they are...

MYTH 1: Safety belts are uncomfortable and restrict movement. FACT: A 2005 Transportation Research Board study on commercial drivers' safety belt usage found many drivers do not find wearing safety belts to be uncomfortable or too restrictive of...

Is there a day coming when we will not have any motor vehicle fatalities? With the fast pace of technology coming into our industry I often think of this possibility.  I hope that someday in my 7-year-old grandson’s life he will look back on this...

Legislation that would establish a program to allow 18-21-year olds to drive commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce after an apprenticeship and under limited conditions has been reintroduced in both the House of Representatives and the...

REGISTRATION IS OPEN Register for the 2019 Safety & Compliance Seminar in Nashville, Tn. Attendance, Materials and Meals for free. Satisfies required federal training. [button link="https://www.idealease.com/safety-seminar-registration"...

Spring arrived on Wednesday March 20th in the U.S., bringing along a slew of seasonal allergies. Experts suggest that the 2019 allergy season could be more severe in comparison to previous years. With allergy season officially starting, you should...

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month Did you know your brain can miss seeing up to 50% of your driving environment when you talk on a cell phone? And, that according to research, drivers talking on cell phones had slower reaction times than...

Bills were reintroduced in Congress on February 26, 2019, to address driver shortage in the trucking industry and enhance safety training and job opportunities for young truckers. The Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy...

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted an exemption to Stoneridge, Inc. to allow motor carriers to operate commercial motor vehicles with the company’s MirrorEye Camera Monitor System (CMS) installed as an alternative to the...

It’s a relatively simple document that causes a lot of confusion in the motor carrier world: The driver vehicle inspection report — also known as the DVIR. The DVIR is very important for our Idealease service managers as this is the communication...

An online resource for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) industry stakeholders has been established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in advance of next year's CDL Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse implementation. Commercial...

National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is an annual spring campaign held at the start of construction season to encourage safe driving through highway work zones and construction sites. The key message is for drivers to use extra caution in work...

REGISTRATION IS OPEN Register for the 2019 Safety & Compliance Seminar in Nashville, Tn. Attendance, Materials and Meals for free. Satisfies required federal training. [button link="https://www.idealease.com/safety-seminar-registration"...

Cold weather precautions to prevent hypothermia and frostbite. Hypothermia occurs when the body's temperature falls below normal. Early and mild symptoms include: shivering, slurred speech, mental slowness or lethargy, muscular stiffness and...

1. Diesel supplement should be added to the ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel when temperatures drop below 32 degrees. 2. If you truck is equipped with an engine block heater it should be plugged in when the temperature is below 32 degrees. Trucks that...

Now is a good time to remind drivers to follow the 3 Point rule while getting in and out of their trucks. During the winter months footing conditions are compromised and the chance of slipping or falling is increased. The 3 Point rule is simply...

Delays in skills testing for new commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers negatively impacts the U.S. economy by $1.5 billion annually, according to new research from the Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA). The study, "Economic Impact of...

A common question about your commercial motor vehicle is “What size does the letters and numbers need to be on the placard or marking on the side of my commercial vehicle?” Ironically, there is NO size designation by measurement. Keep reading to...

In 2017 there were 5,984 pedestrians killed. The last time we saw 6,000 pedestrians killed in one year was 1990 and ever since it has been on the decline until 2016. Don't be a “digital deadwalker”. A 2015 study by American Academy of Orthopaedic...

Holiday Season Tips to help pedestrians stay injury free, when walking indoors and outdoors, especially during this busy holiday season: If you must use headphones or other electronic devices, maintain a volume where you can still hear the sounds...

One of the challenges in combatting distracted walking may be that Americans are overly confident in their ability to multitask. When asked why they walk distracted, 48% of respondents say “they just don’t think about it,” 28% feel “they can walk...

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has submitted an Information Collection Request to the Office of Management and Budget seeking approval to conduct a study on truck and bus maintenance requirements and their impact on safety. 83 Fed....

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a notice requesting public comment on an application for exemption from SmartDrive Systems, Inc. to allow an Advanced Driver Assistance Systems camera to be mounted lower in the windshield...

Holiday events and celebrations can be exciting times for family and friends to get together. But, get-togethers with family and friends can turn into tragedies when people are killed or injured in traffic crashes. As the holiday season is...

Now is a good time to remind your drivers of the consequences of drinking during the holiday season and what effect their actions can have on their CDL or operator's license and ultimately their employment with your company. Advise your drivers to...

Although Most of The Driving Takes Place During Daylight Hours, More Accidents Occur at Night and Most Fatal Accidents Happen During the Night. The professional driver understands that it takes maximum defensive driving skills to drive safely at...

PSP was designed to assist the motor carrier industry in assessing individual operators’ crash and serious safety violation history as a preemployment condition. A carrier will pay $10 for each requested driver history. An annual subscription fee...