Defensive driving: The summer edition


Date Posted: 05/06/2020

Often, when we think of adverse driving conditions, we think of the wintertime challenges posed by Mother Nature — snow, sleet, and ice.

Though the professional driver doesn’t deal with these types of conditions during the summer, a different set of issues are common — tourists and road construction.

Signs of a tourist

Summer means sun, fun, and for many Americans that once a year family road trip. Though professional drivers share the road with four-wheelers on a continual basis, summertime brings out a different set of hazards, including tourists traveling through known vacation areas.

The over-packed vehicle. Boxes, coolers, or clothes may cover a vehicle’s back or side windows. Leave plenty of following distance and pass with care.

Towing extra toys. Some individuals are unfamiliar and/or inexperienced with operating a four-wheeler with a towed unit (trailer, camper, boat.) When approaching this type of setup:

  • Allow plenty of following distance;
  • Watch for swerving of the towed unit and the potential for over-correcting by the driver; and
  • Be alert to what seems like sudden slowing, stopping, or turning as the light systems on some towed units may not operate as they should.

A vehicle with children. Though they don’t mean to, children who are tired, hungry, or just plain bored can pose a distraction to a driver. Always use heightened awareness when approaching a vehicle with children, allow for plenty of following distance, and keep an eye out for sudden stopping, turning, and changing lanes.

Road construction

Summer is the prime season for roadwork throughout the country. Additional caution and defensive driving practices are extremely important when driving through work zones.

Pay attention. Eliminate all activities that can be a distraction.

Don’t tailgate. Maintain a safe following distance by leaving plenty of room between vehicles in case sudden braking is necessary.

Don’t speed. As well as being one of the major causes of work zone crashes, the majority of states impose enhanced fines for speeding in work zones.

Merge as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the last minute to merge.

Be patient. Slow down and pay attention to what is going on around the vehicle.

Expect the unexpected. Normal speed limits may be reduced, traffic lanes may be changed, and people may be working on or near the road.

Defensive Driving for CMV Drivers

More than a quarter of all work-related fatalities occur in occupations that require driving, or the transportation of goods, making the need for defensive driving skills clear. In order to avoid injury, or worse, death, drivers need to understand what defensive driving really means and what unique challenges a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) driver faces... even for veteran drivers. The Defensive Driving for CMV Drivers training curriculum is designed to help drivers develop their defensive driving skills.

START TRAINING FOR FREE LEARN MORE

Why J. J. Keller® Training?


Robust Online Training Library

ROBUST ONLINE TRAINING LIBRARY

Access the industry’s largest online training library, consisting of 900+ unique E-Learning courses, 500+ customizable training resources, and more.

Streaming Video for Added Impact

STREAMING VIDEO FOR ADDED IMPACT

Make the most of your classroom training sessions with 250+ hi-res training videos developed by adult learning specialists.

Easy Access Anytime, Anywhere

EASY ACCESS ANYTIME, ANYWHERE

Enjoy maximum flexibility in and out of the classroom with 24/7 access to hundreds of titles and our free mobile app for training on the go.

Expert Content You Can Trust

EXPERT CONTENT YOU CAN TRUST

Backed by 70 years of industry experience, our courses center on actionable learning objectives and receive regular updates from our in-house experts to reflect the latest regulatory changes.

Free Recordkeeping and Reporting

FREE RECORDKEEPING AND REPORTING

Easily track which employees have been trained on which topics and when, and identify any lapses in your training program – at no added cost.

Invaluable Management Resources

INVALUABLE MANAGEMENT RESOURCES

As an administrator, you’ll gain exclusive access to the J. J. Keller® Training Knowledge Center, where you can reference word-for-word regulations, ask our experts specific compliance questions, and more.