As a trucking business owner, you realize how much you depend on your fleet drivers to transport goods to a certain location in a safe and timely manner. Their driving safety on the roads is essential for the safety of others traveling on the roadways; however, accidents still happen all the time and when they do, your drivers need to be prepared. Training fleet drivers on handling accidents when they do occur can be beneficial to your trucking business.

Safety Education Tip

Typically accidents are a cause for concern, but when an accident does occur, your fleet drivers need to remain calm and apply the safety information he/she has learned. Your responsibility is to provide vehicle safety education to your fleet drivers in an effort to promote and practice safety on the roads and also train each driver how to handle an accident situation, should one occur.

Below are some common procedural tips to implement if faced with an unfortunate accident on the roadway:

STOP immediately regardless of the damage amount
Turn on hazard lights to alert other drivers and increase visibility
Move your vehicle off the road or out of traffic if it is safe
Call 911 to report the accident
If possible, assess all damages and inquire about injuries of all drivers/passengers
Document the accident scene and all damages by securing photos
Secure names of the other driver(s), insurance information, and year, make, and model of the other auto(s)
Contact your N.C. independent insurance agent to report the accident

Necessary Items Your Fleet Drivers Need in the Truck

Training your drivers on handling accidents is crucial before your drivers ever hit the highway, but what about the necessary items your drivers need to have on hand in case an accident ensues? Some of those items include the following:

Flashlights
List of business emergency contacts (names, phone numbers)
Emergency warning devices such as warning triangles
Fire extinguisher
Proper paperwork to document the accident(s)Camera (or phone) to document accident scene
Camera (or phone) to document accident scene

Confront Your Risks to Minimize Accidents

Regardless of how safe your fleet drivers operate, accidents can still happen in the blink of an eye. Having an action plan in place BEFORE accidents happen is essential for your trucking business. After an accident has occurred, it is recommended to assess and analyze all the necessary accident information in an effort to prevent similar situations arising in the future. Keeping accidents to a minimum and providing the necessary risk management training to all your fleet drivers is imperative to the success of your business and reputation.