The January 2022 safety presentation focused on driving exposures. It covered winter weather preparation for vehicles, driving safely in winter conditions, avoiding animal collisions, dangers of speeding and cell phone use while driving, proper backing techniques, and dangers of drowsiness while driving. Key tips included having proper tires, wiper fluid and battery for winter, slowing down in animal areas, hands-free calls are still distracting, using mirrors and spotters when backing, and prioritizing sleep to avoid drowsy driving. The goal is to help employees stay safe on the road.

1. January 2022 Safety
Presentation:
Driving Exposures

2. A sneak peak into the Monthly Safety Training
PowerPoints the Risk Management Team for 2022
Month Topic
January Driving Exposures
February Job Safety Analysis
March
Inside Staff: Ergonomics
and S,T,Fs
April
OSP: Weather and
Poisonous Plants
May Safety Committees
June OSP: Customer’s Homes
Month Topic
July Working in the Heat
August
Directional Boring and
PPE
September
Emergency Preparedness
Planning Month
October
Weather: Lightning,
Tornadoes, and
Hurricanes
November
First Aid Quick
Information (non-
certification)
December Stress Management

3. This Month: Driving Hazards
Weather Drowsiness Animals
Speeding
Cell Phone
Usage
Backing
Safety

4. Weather Related

5. Winter Weather
Prepare your car for the winter:
Test your battery; battery power drops as the temperature drops
Make sure the cooling system is in good working order
Have winter tires with a deeper, more flexible tread put on your car
If using all-season tires, check the tread on your tires and replace if less
than 2/32 of an inch
Check the tire pressure; tire pressure drops as the temperature drops
Check your wiper blades and replace if needed
Add wiper fluid rated for -30 degrees
Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze

6. Before you Drive Off
Clean your car’s external camera lenses and side view mirrors so you’ll
be able to see what’s around you
Remove dirt, ice and snow from sensors to allow the assistive-driving
features like automatic emergency braking to work
In cold weather, warm up the car before you drive it
To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, never leave a vehicle running in
your garage – even with the garage door up
If the forecast looks iffy, wait out the storm if possible; if you must
travel, share your travel plans and route with someone before you leave

7. Crash Avoidance in the Winter
Avoid using cruise control in wintry conditions
Steer in the direction of a skid, so when your wheels
regain traction, you don’t have to overcorrect to stay in
your lane
Accelerate and decelerate slowly
Increase following distance to 8 to 10 seconds
If possible, don't stop when going uphill

8. Know Your Car’s Capabilities
Visit https://mycardoeswhat.org to learn about what your car can
do.
Did you know Traction Control is standard on most vehicles today?
This function helps your vehicle gain traction on snowy, icy or wet
surfaces, particularly when accelerating from a stopped or slowed
position, or when trying to make it up a slippery hill.
Anti-lock braking system (ABS) helps you steer in emergencies by
restoring traction to your tires and is standard on most new
vehicles as well. ABS may vibrate or pulse when engaged. This is
normal. Continue to press and hold pressure to the brake pedal.

9. Drowsiness

10. Drowsiness is Dangerous
One of the main causes of drowsy driving is not getting enough
sleep. There are several reasons why people don’t get the optimal 7
to 9 hours of sleep:
• They may be working irregular schedules or shifts that make it
difficult to get enough sleep
• They may have been drinking alcohol or caffeine too close to
bedtime
• They may have insomnia, the inability to fall asleep or stay
asleep
• They may have obstructive sleep apnea, with symptoms of
loud snoring, gasping for breath or stopping breathing while
sleeping
• Or they may not be prioritizing sleep
If any of these issues are causing you to get less than 7 hours of
sleep every day, make some changes in your schedule and habits. If
your problems can’t easily be solved yourself, talk to your doctor.
Getting restful sleep is important for your health and safety.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

11. Animal Avoidance

12. Animal Avoidance
1. Slow down in areas especially known for animal
crossings
2. Watch the sides of the sides of the road for
movement. At night look for eye shine
3. Be aware of peak time. Deer are mostly active
between 6pm and 9pm. Fall: October through January
are breeding seasons for deer and moose and elk. The
three largest animals most likely to be hit. Bear tend to
mate starting in May through early June
4. Don’t Tailgate. When people in front of you brake
suddenly after seeing an animal, you must have enough
distance to avoid hitting them as well. 3 to 4 seconds
is the standard following distance under normal
circumstances. You must add a second per potential
hazard

13. Animal Avoidance
5. Use your high-beams when driving
through potential animal areas. Just
remember to be courteous to other cars
approaching you
6. There are always more than one deer.
They travel in herds so expect to see
more
7. Typically, the left lane is used for passing
only. However, in areas of frequent
animal crossing and especially at night or
in the evening, traveling in the left or
center lane provides a larger birth for
grazing animals on the shoulder
8. It is OK to use your horn to scare an
animal away. Just remember, when they
run, they might run right in front of you

14. Animal Avoidance
9. This is yet another reason to wear your seat
belt. After an animal strike, it is probable you
may lose control of your vehicle. Having your
seat belt on keeps you behind the wheel and
better able to maintain control
10. Control your emotions (if possible). It is
always better to remain calm and focus on
what is happening. After the hit, you don’t
want to lose more control and strike a tree,
building or an oncoming vehicle
11. Lean towards the door. If you do hit a large
animal, lean toward the door frame and not
the center of the car. When animals are hit,
they tend to roll over the vehicle, crushing the
center of the windshield and roof
12. If you do happen to collide with an animal,
remember to never touch or help an animal in
the roadway. Pull off the roadway and
immediately call the police and be sure to get a
police report

15. Speeding

16. Speeding Stats
from National
Safety Council
• Speeding is a major factor in traffic deaths
and injuries. Speeding effects so many
things
• Speeding reduces the amount of time the
driver must react in a dangerous situation
to avoid a crash, increases vehicle stopping
distance, and reduces the ability of road
safety structures (such as guardrails,
impact attenuators, crash cushions, median
dividers, and concrete barriers) to protect
vehicle occupants in a crash

17. Speeding was a factor in 26% of all traffic fatalities in
2019, killing 9,478, or an average of over 25 people per
day. The total number of fatal motor-vehicle crashes
attributable to speeding was 8,544. A crash is
considered speeding-related if the driver was charged
with a speeding-related offense or if racing, driving too
fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit
was indicated as a contributing factor in the crash.
The percent of speeding-related deaths
has steadily decreased. In 2010, 32% of
traffic fatalities were speeding-related,
compared to 26% currently.
There has been
some improvement
by all of us in this
area. Great job
America!

18. Roadway
conditions don’t
help us much
according to the
NSC
Speeding becomes an increasingly important factor for
drivers involved in fatal crashes as roadway surface
conditions deteriorate. In 2019, speeding was a factor in
fatal crashes for:
• 16% of drivers on dry roads
• 19% on wet roads
• 39% on roads with snow or slush
• 40% on roads with moving or standing water
• 41% on roads with mud, dirt, or gravel
• 43% on roads with ice or frost
One of the reasons a driver may be cited by police for
speeding is for “driving too fast for conditions.” While
driving at the posted speed limit on a dry road may be
considered safe, driving at that same speed when the
road is wet or covered with snow or ice may be
considered unsafe or “too fast for conditions.”

19. Cell Phone Usage

20. The Just Drive Campaign is Critical

21. There really is a big lie told to all of us:
Multitasking is real
False. Multitasking is in fact, a myth. At least when it comes to driving.

22. Another Myth: Talking on a cell phone is just
like talking to a passenger. False

23. Myth Number Three: Hands-Free Calls are
Safe While Driving

24. Myth Number Four: Only Using Your Cell
Phone at Stop Lights is OK. False

25. Yet Another Myth We’ve Bought into: Voice-
to-text is safe while driving. False, again

26. Backing Safety
Data from TDI Vehicle Backing Fact Sheet

27. Backing Basics to Remember
for a Safer Maneuver
Back-up cameras, rear automatic-braking systems, driver
alert platforms, etc. have all made the act of driving and
backing far safer in recent years. One instance of this is that
while rear-automatic braking systems were an option in only
5% of cars before 2018, they resulted in a drop of 62% in
reported back-up accidents in cars with that system installed.
Amazing.
While technology is fantastic and wonderful, we shouldn’t
lose site of that fact that we are still responsible for what
happens while we are driving and/or backing. Let’s look at
some basic and common tips to prevent accidents.

28. Adjust your mirrors. Check the rearview and side mirrors on the
vehicle and adjust them to make blind spots as small as possible.
While mirrors and rear-vision cameras provide added visibility,
drivers should not depend solely on this technology. These
devices can cause drivers to lose depth perception when backing.
• Look out the back window. Backing up requires drivers to turn
their heads and bodies to the right to see beyond the headrest and
through the back window. To improve balance, drivers should
drape their right arm over the seat's back while their left hand
grips the steering wheel.
• Reverse slowly. Reverse is a more powerful gear than drive.
You must carefully and slowly accelerate when backing. It is
more difficult to maintain steering control when the vehicle
is in reverse.
• Know the direction to turn the wheel. The direction to steer a
vehicle when backing depends on whether a trailer is attached.
When backing a vehicle without a trailer, the driver should turn
the steering wheel in the direction they want the rear of the
vehicle to go. If backing a vehicle with a trailer, drivers should
steer in the opposite direction they want the trailer to go. Practice
is the best instruction.

29. • Always perform a walk-around inspection, or the Circle
of Safety. Look for kids, pets, incumbrances, etc.
Placing a cone behind your vehicle is a visual reminder to
go look.
• Use a spotter, if available. If a reliable person is available
to guide the driver back, use them. Roll the window
down to hear any verbal instructions or warnings. Agree
on hand signals before starting. Keep the spotter in sight,
preferably in the driver's side mirror. Encourage the
spotter not to walk backward while giving instructions.
Stop backing if the spotter is not in the driver's sight.
• Avoid distractions. Turn off the sound system when
preparing to drive in reverse. Silence the phone and
remove all other distractions that can draw attention
away from safely backing.

30. While there isn’t a perfect system to
eliminate all hazards we face while
driving. Our best chance to pay
attention and avoid distractions.
Thanks for all that you do in keeping
our industry safe.

31. MARILYN AND CRAIG
mab@telcominsgrp.com csr@telcominsgrp.com
301 220-1085 903 424-7452