SECTION V: SAFE
WORK PRACTICES
(Understand the Hazards of Your Work
Environment)
Information presented is not intended to be
comprehensive or all inclusive; contact your supervisor, safety officer, or the
Environmental Health and Safety Office, 475-7041, for assistance or further
information on any given topic.
DRIVING SAFETY
Motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) are the number-one killer
of American workers, causing more than 30 per cent of all employee deaths. To avoid becoming one of the approximately
40,000 Americans who die each year on our nation’s roadways, or one of the
millions who suffer injuries from motor vehicle accidents, the following safe
driving tips are recommended.
1.
Drive defensively. Safe driving is not a matter of
luck. Experience shows that there is a
sound and practical method of driving, the defensive driving concept,
that will enable you to stay out of the majority of accident
situations. Defensive driving starts
with a commitment to responsibility. The
keys are anticipation and alertness.
Expect the unexpected. Watch
changes in traffic and other driving conditions, such as time of day, weather,
etc.; adjust your driving accordingly.
2.
Wear your safety seat belt. Unless Russian
roulette is your favorite game, fasten your seat belt. About one-third of all fatal injuries in
traffic collisions occur when occupants smash into steering wheels; about two
out of every five deaths occur when occupants are thrown against the windshield
frames or instrument panel by the force of the crash; and one out of every five
injuries occurs when unrestrained car occupants slam into each other upon
impact. Statistics also show that you
are 25 times more likely to be killed if you are thrown from the vehicle. Seat belts are for all places and for all
people!
3.
Obey speed limits. Speed limits are generally
posted for good safety reasons (e.g., heavy traffic, side roads, pedestrians,
lack of visibility, etc.) and the purpose is to save your life and the lives of
others. Be alert to all warning signs
and watch for speed limit changes.
Allow for changing road and weather conditions; when advisable, drive
slower than the posted speed.
4.
See and be seen. Know what is ahead, behind, and
beside your car at all times. Make
constant use of side and rear view mirrors.
Know the blind spots which exist within your car and compensate for them
by turning your head from time to time for a quick glance behind. Realize that the driver ahead of you has
blind spots, too; keep your car visible to other drivers.
5.
Practice the two-second following distance rule: When the driver
ahead of you passes a fixed object (e.g., a tree, telephone pole, underpass,
etc.) start counting—one thousand one, one thousand two. If your car reaches that fixed object before
you finish counting, you are following too closely; widen that protective gap
by easing up on the accelerator. If
lighting is poor, the road is rough, traffic is
congested, or the weather is bad, increase the following distance even more.
6.
Concentrate: on other drivers; the road; traffic; weather
conditions; condition of your vehicle; light (Can you see and be seen?).
7.
If you use a cellular phone while driving: remember that inattention (e.g., eating,
tuning in the radio, talking on the cellular phone, etc.) is a factor in an
estimated 40 per cent of MVAs. Don’t
take a call if road or traffic conditions are hazardous; pull off the road to
dial, or if a telephone conversation is distracting. Purchasing consideration: hands-free speaker phone equipped with
one-button, memory, or voice-activated dialing.)
Conditions that
affect your driving:
Whenever you are unfamiliar with a road, or the
conditions ahead, slow down and allow more following distance. Some road conditions to be given special
consideration include:
1. Curves and hills: Because their
angle limits your visibility, you can never be sure what is lurking just out of
sight. In addition, too much speed on a
curve can throw you off course and out of your lane. Reduced speed prior to entering a curve is
the best solution.
2. Bumps, soft
shoulders or drop-offs: Stay alert; be observant; take necessary
precautions.
3. Weather
conditions (e.g., fog, rain, snow): These
conditions limit your visibility and affect your ability to see and be
seen. Your ability to start, stop and
turn can also be reduced due to changes in road surfaces. Reduce your driving speed and use low beam
headlights.
4. Another vehicle’s
headlights:
Switch your lights to low beam; reduce your speed; look to the right
side of the pavement as a guide until the danger has passed.
5. Hydroplaning: The sliding
caused by hydroplaning (riding on a layer of water) can occur when water on the
road surface is deeper than the tread of your tire. In wet road conditions, if the car ahead of
you is not leaving tracks on the road, hydroplaning conditions exist. Beware and reduce your speed immediately.
6. Changing light
conditions:
Sun glasses, particularly those with brown or gray tint, aid in reducing
glare; however, they should never be worn after sundown. (Hint:
if the sun is behind you, and low, turn on your lights to help other
drivers see you more easily.)
7. Rush hour
traffic:
Heavy traffic/poor visibility? Be
ready to brake quickly. Maintain a safe
following distance; don’t get boxed in. Leave
yourself an out; expect the unexpected from other drivers.
8. Small vehicles or
motorcycles: When following a two-wheeler, lengthen your
interval between (they can stop faster than a full size vehicle so you will
need more space in which to stop); make extra eye and mirror checks when they
are in the vicinity (they can more easily be hidden in your blind spot); beware
of the squeeze play—when you make a right turn, be sure there is no small
vehicle approaching on your right, between your vehicle and the curb.
9. Avoid driving
concentration destroyers: These may include daydreaming, distractions,
fatigue, anger, frustration, stress, or alcohol. Unless you are really ready to concentrate
and remain alert, don’t drive.
10. Night driving: Fatal accidents
increase sharply during the hours of darkness; statistics show that your
chances of being involved in a fatal traffic accident are about three times
greater at night than during the daylight hours.
·
Be sure your
headlights and turn signals are working properly (a wall or show window makes a
good place to check headlights and turn signals). Keep your headlights and windshield clean.
·
Because 90 per
cent of driver reaction is dependent on vision, before driving at night allow a
two-minute to five-minute wait for your eyes to adjust when you come out of a
lighted building. (If you spend a day in
bright sunshine, wear sunglasses, as they help your eyes retain their supply of
retinal chemical that helps with night-time adaptation. But never wear sunglasses at night.)
·
If you are in the
50+ age bracket, be aware that this is the time frame in which problems with
adaptability to changing light conditions begin to show up. For instance, it takes the average 60-year
old seven times as much light as the average 20-year old to perform the same
tasks. If you are in this age range, be
aware, adapt, and make allowances.
·
Do not drink and
drive. (Tip: nicotine and carbon
monoxide in cigarette smoke can further reduce your night vision.)
·
Beware
overdriving of headlights, which has been cited as the most persistent problem
of night driving.
·
The lowest level
of alertness for most drivers has been pinpointed at 2 to 7 a.m.; to stay
alert, it is recommended that you stop frequently, drink some coffee, walk
around, and/or lower your windows when driving at night and/or for long
periods. (Statistics indicate that the
most dangerous time to drive is around 2:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning.)
If you are wondering whether or not it is dark enough to turn on your lights—it is! (Doing so helps the other driver as much as it does you.)