Careful observation is essential for safe driving. Everyone in their first driving class learns to check their mirrors to maintain awareness of the cars around them. Professional drivers learn more advanced mirror usage during their CDL training. However, all too often, accidents and near-misses that could have been prevented occur because drivers forget to check their mirrors while prioritizing other driving tasks.
Even safe and careful drivers can develop driving habits in which they don't check their mirrors often enough. A combination of interior and exterior dash cams often capture moments in which drivers miss hazards simply by not checking their mirrors.
Inattentive mirror monitoring also means that drivers miss when cars enter and exit the "no-zone," in which even mirrors cannot accurately reveal the presence of cars alongside a long truck. Fortunately, there are several methods that fleet managers can use to help drivers improve their mirror use and safety on the road.
The first step is to ensure that every new driver who joins your team receives mirror training. Even when hiring experienced drivers, you can emphasize the importance of mirror use by including it in the onboarding process. Make it clear that careful mirror use is required to be a safe driver with your fleet and build it into your company culture from the very start.
The next step is to help your current drivers return constant quick mirror checks to their driving routine. Over time, driving becomes second nature and the habits built while en-route become deeply patterned into the way your drivers act on the road. This is especially true when drivers are preoccupied with other concerns like bad traffic, bad weather, or navigating a new and unfamiliar route.
However, you can retrain your drivers to use their mirrors more consistently by including proper mirror habits in your driver refresher courses. If you do not yet have driver refresher courses, this is a wise choice to help drivers maintain good habits through the years.
Before you send drivers out on the route, include mirror adjustments in your "pre-flight check" process. The checklist before fleet trucks leave the garage are there to ensure that every truck is safe, stocked, and ready to go. Including mirror adjustment and visibility checks will ensure that mirrors are proprly placed for maximum driver visibility and re-emphasize the importance of mirror use in the driving routine.
One of the best ways to help your drivers see the importance of mirror use, which is often undervalued, is the use of cameras for coaching. Combine an internal camera which captures the driver's attentiveness and reactions to the road and an alongside camera which detects when there is a car approaching or in the "no-zone".
Using real-life examples of commercial drivers who miss critical clues and experience near-miss accidents by not watching their mirrors can help your drivers to see when mirror checking is most important. Recording your own drivers can also reveal how often they do or do not check their mirrors and when this creates a problem.
You can also help to improve the safety of your drivers by adding cameras that provide more coverage than both large truck mirrors and a properly placed fisheye mirror. Side and rear cams can increase visibility in the "no-zone" so that drivers can keep track of vehicles around them with greater awareness and safety.
By taking measures to improve your driver's use of mirrors, you can significantly improve your overall road safety. Wilmar is a fleet management service that can help you build, customize, improve, maintain, and manage your commercial fleet. For more fleet driver insights or expert fleet services, contact us today.