9 Delivery Driver Safety Tips to Protect your Drivers and Business

Source: @marcinjozwiak

Crashes involving delivery truck drivers contribute significantly to road accidents yearly. According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, there were more than 100,000 injuries and 300,000 accidents involving delivery vehicles in 2012.   

If you operate a delivery business, here are some road safety tips to protect your drivers.

1.   Employ professional drivers

Your vetting process should extend to your drivers as well as your core office employees.

While screening drivers, ensure you go for those with the skills and experience to operate a commercial vehicle safely.

Could you check their license? You could even conduct a road test for them. This will help you gauge their driving skills, ensuring you only hire those fit enough for the job. 

2.   Encourage employees to practice defensive driving

Aside from screening and hiring professional drivers with experience and a good track record driving commercial vehicles, delivery companies must provide drivers with enough training.

The training, which includes lectures about defensive driving, will help hone their driving skills, thus reducing the chances of getting involved in accidents or crashes. 

3.   Implement company policy that promotes safety

Overworking your drivers can result in fatigue, one of the leading causes of road accidents. 

To ensure that your drivers are mentally alert and energized when at the wheel, consider implementing company policies that promote safety and communicate the significance of workplace safety to your drivers.

4.   Make emergency protocols

No one prays for emergencies. However, it would be best if you planned for them. 

And how do you do that? 

By making emergency protocols designed to save your drivers from dire situations. You should lay down easy-follow emergency protocols that explain what to do should your delivery drivers experience brake failures, tire punctures, road rage, or minor accidents. 

In case of an accident, please lay down instructions for your drivers to follow. Please tell them to call the police, record the accident scene, exchange contact with the other driver, and get treatment if injured. You should contact a top car accident lawyer, especially when the at-fault driver's insurance company isn't cooperating.

5.   Maintain your delivery vehicles

Road accidents have many causes, including human error and mechanical issues. You can address the latter by carrying out regular vehicle checkups to ensure they're in good shape. This will guarantee the safety of your drivers and the items to be delivered.

To avoid accidents, it would be best not to allow drivers to operate a faulty delivery truck—no matter how minor the issue—to avoid accidents. Remember, the condition of your delivery truck determines what happens on the road.

6.   Easy communication

You should communicate extensively between your delivery driver and the management team to ensure that real-life issues are dealt with quickly and delays or escalations are avoided.

In addition to addressing issues fast, communication can help the delivery drivers get the best schedule for their operations, reducing pressure and stringent delivery deadlines.

It can also help drivers address issues of bad weather conditions and reschedule their trips with solid collaboration with the management team.

7.   Ensure that drivers aren't distracted

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of crashes, accounting for 14% to 17% of all crashes. To ensure your drivers stay focused while driving, please train them to avoid distractions.

Please restrict the use of phones while driving and let drivers know to exercise control over the wheel. These measures will reduce driver fatigue and increase focus.

With a focus on the road, the drivers can make early deliveries to boost customer satisfaction and improve your brand.

8.   Advice the drivers to take breaks and rests

Encourage your drivers to take breaks and rest, especially during long-distance journeys. This will ensure they don’t experience drain-out and boost their efficiency.

Don’t rush your drivers or force them to stick to a tight schedule, as this could raise their risk of getting involved in an accident or sustaining injuries. Remember, they are humans like you. Consider this when giving them instructions.

Truckers who drive while fatigued can pose a substantial danger, resulting in serious accidents, injuries, and, in some cases, fatalities. Each year, thousands of accidents and hundreds of deaths are attributed to fatigued driving, which shows the crucial need to spread awareness and identify signs of drowsiness while behind the wheel. For this reason, here’s a new guide about the dangers of driving tired, including tips for truckers.

9.   Reward safe driving

Safe driving is a trait that’s worth commending. So when your delivery drivers display this trait consistently, try to reward them. This will encourage them to stick with their safe driving habits, which is generally good for them and your business.

Conclusion

Crashes involving employees cost employers a lot in expenses like medical care, liability, property damage, and lost productivity. As the owner of a delivery business, you can avoid these costs by providing your delivery drivers with the tips above.