Causes and Solutions of Fleet

Safety Accidents
 Topics of Discussion
 Vehicle Accidents
 Statistics
 Costs of Accidents
 Recommendations
 Vehicle Accidents
 Overloaded Vehicles
 Rear End Collisions
 Distracted Driving
 Overloaded Vehicle
 A worker was fatally injured when the truck he was
operating rolled backward. The trailer's brakes failed.
The vehicle was loaded greatly over design weight.

 A worker was fatally injured due to injuries suffered in

the crash of a truck. The truck was overloaded and the
brakes failed.
source:
OSHA accident reports
www.osha.gov
 Rear End Collisions
 Second-most frequent accident

 Makes up 17% of all claims

 Over $13,000 per claim

source:
Risk Management News, Vol. 1, Issue 2
National Electrical Contractors Association
(NECA)
 Distracted Driving
 A driver was on his phone while driving. He did not
notice the stop sign he was approaching. As he went
through the stop sign, a motorist driving by slammed
into the truck and was killed.

 Three employees were riding on a steep temporary road.

One of the passengers asked the driver if he was on 4
"low”. He looked down to check. The moment he took
his eyes off the road, the truck rolled off the side of the
road and overturned. The employee closest to the
passenger door was killed.

sources:
Risk Control Services, CNA
OSHA accident reports (www.osha.gov)
 Accident Summary
 Rear End Collisions are more likely when
1. Vehicles are overloaded
2. Workers follow vehicles in front of them too closely.

 Distractions increase the likelihood of getting in

an accident.
 Accident Summary (continued)

 Distractions include:
 Reaching/looking for items in the car
 Things, events outside of the car/rubbernecking
 Cell phones
 Adjusting the radio
 Eating
 Grooming
 Children and pets
 Statistics
 Distracted Driving
 Rear End Collision
 Distracted Driving
 Inattention to driving: #1 cause of accidents in America

 Drivers who use cell phones are four times more likely to
be in a motor vehicle collision.

Sources:
Risk Control Services, CNA
New England Journal of Medicine, February 13, 1997
 Rear End Collisions
 Account for one-sixth of all automobile claims
 Account for 38% of the dollars paid for all automobile
claims

Sources:
Risk Management News, Vol. 1, Issue 2
National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA)
Graph:
Continental Casualty Company
 Summary of Statistics
 Distracted driving causes more accidents than any other
factor.

 Rear end collisions are the single most common accident

type.
Costs of Accidents
 Costs of Accidents
Vehicle accidents cost more than just the price of repairing the
damaged vehicle:

1. Claims for damages to vehicles and property, injuries to motorists and

passengers

2. Workers Compensation claims

3. General Liability claims

4. Damage to transported materials and equipment

5. Negligent Entrustment lawsuits and punitive damages

 Recommendations
 What Employees Should Do
 What Employers Should Do
 What Employees Should Do
 Stay at or under the speed limit, especially in construction
zones.

 Leave a long following distance between you and the car

in front of you, especially if there are heavy materials in
the vehicle. There should be ample time to apply the
brakes and come to a complete stop.

 Do not drive while fatigued or intoxicated, and don’t

engage in distracting activities, such as using a cell phone.

 Use safety belts. Limit the number of passengers in the

vehicle to the number of safety belts available

 Participate in your company’s vehicle training program.

Source:
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
www.cdc.gov/niosh/
 What Employers Should Do
 Conduct driver’s license background checks on
prospective drivers before they are hired.

 Establish a written policy requiring drivers and

passengers to use seat belts at all times. Make sure that
employees are aware of and comply with this written
policy.

 Train drivers in safe driving practices and proper use of

vehicle safety features. Make sure that this training is
performance-based and periodically repeated.

 Maintain brakes and other safety systems on vehicles.

Source:
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
www.cdc.gov/niosh/
Summary of Recommendations
 Employees and Employers working together increase the
safety of the work site.

 Obey the laws of the road to decrease risk of accident

and increase safety.

 Participate in training to increase awareness of vehicle

safety.
The End