One core mission of trucking industry professionals is to reduce crashes. In order to properly identify and reduce accidents, safety professionals need to try to understand why they occur. With any crash there can be a variety of contributory root causes, including equipment-related issues, environmental conditions, other motorists' actions, etc.
However, there is one common denominator with all crashes - the involved driver. Estimates vary, but some suggest that more than 90 percent of root causes of crashes can be traced back to the driver.
The beliefs and personal values a driver relies on when making driving decisions are often based on a wide range of influences. Allowing drivers to develop a higher tolerance for risk-taking behaviors greatly increases the likelihood that these attitudes will eventually contribute to that driver being involved in a crash.
Ultimately, management is responsible for ensuring that systems are in place to create an environment that supports driver behavior consistent with safe operations. Often, true root cause analysis reveals that management’s action or inaction influences driver behavior. Given this, management’s role is fourfold:
Note: These lists are not intended to be all-inclusive.
The information in this article is provided as a courtesy of Great West Casualty Company and is part of the Value-Driven® Company program. Value-Driven Company was created to help educate and inform insureds so they can make better decisions, build a culture that values safety, and manage risk more effectively. To see what additional resources Great West Casualty Company can provide for its insureds, please contact your safety representative, or click below to find an agent.
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