Handling Inattention Among Drivers

As mentioned in the article on increased truck-involved fatal crashes, your ICSA safety consultants are seeing a huge increase in distracted/inattentive driving. We review hundreds of incident videos each week and, in way too many videos, the driver is talking on the phone, has the radio blaring or is going too fast in traffic and can’t process data fast enough to identify and react to sudden changes. 

Despite all the new safety features and equipment in our trucks these days, crashes and fatalities continue to rise. We must do better, and ICSA’s safety consulting team is here to help members improve highway safety and reduce the chances of being in a serious crash.   

How should fleet owners handle the growing problem of inattention and distraction on the road? First, respect the professional driver and acknowledge their skills. Second, develop an open communication relationship with drivers that incorporates mutual trust and respect. Every experienced driver will tell you that once they learned the skills of operating their equipment, the next challenge was avoiding complacency. How can fleet owners help them? 

Example: You receive a video of a driver (or even you, the owner) running a stop sign. You think to yourself “Well, it hasn’t happened before. He is a safe driver. No need to worry about it.” Is that really the professional way to handle it or are WE being complacent? 

The importance of following up and addressing inattention cannot be stressed enough and is the real solution to reducing crashes. We have to identify the cause before we can find a solution. We must view it as much more serious than just running a stop sign. It is actually a crash that didn’t happen and a serious miscue by an otherwise professional driver. Understand what happened. Identify the “why” and help the driver understand what to do next time. 

• What really happened? 
• Work to identify the cause. Ask why this happened three or four times and dig down to the root cause. 
• Identify the expectation, a solution. What is the smart thing to do next time this situation arises?
• Commit to using this knowledge to eliminate a reoccurrence in the future

If you can’t convince yourself that the risk is eliminated, don’t settle. Reach out and consult with your safety consultant. We are always available to help you. 

Mike Hitchcock

Mike has an extensive, life-long background as a driver, a mechanic, and an independent owner/operator. Before joining ICSA, he spent 23 years at Knight Transportation, where Mike was promoted to Regional Safety Director, and ultimately to Corporate Director of Safety for all Knight companies. In 2008, Mike moved to Phoenix as Knight’s Director of Recruiting and Driver Development, where he enjoyed being part of Knight’s growth and steadily improving safety performance. Mike's position as Safety Consultant at ICSA enables him to continue working to improve highway safety. Mike understands the trucking business from both a driver’s and a fleet’s perspective. He has experienced the challenges independent carriers face as they juggle profitability while minimizing the risks of accidents or legal challenges. Have operational or safety questions? Mike Hitchcock is your go-to.