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SAFETY FOCUS

Vehicle Incident Prevention By John Westby, EHS Specialist

During the month of August, we will be discussing Vehicle

Incident Prevention (VIP). As a company, it is our respon-

sibility to be safe, alert, cautious, and defensive drivers
when operating Loram vehicles. As you can see on Lo-
ram’s In-Gaged poster, Loram has four main sections for

VIP. They are to stay awake, remain within DOT compli-
ance, backing up safely, and driving defensively. By utilizing

these four parts, we can reduce the total number of vehi-
cle incidents that occur at Loram.

To best stay awake while driving it is important to recognize fatigue. It is easy to try to “power through it”

but this can cause a lapse in driving attention and result in an accident. Communicate with the crew in the
vehicle or on the machine if you are feeling fatigued and cannot safely operate a vehicle.

DOT compliance regulations are set in place to best ensure the safety of the driver and passengers. Keeping

hours of service logbooks current and ensuring vehicle maintenance and inspections are completed are two of

the ways that this is done.

Often, backing up a vehicle can occur in either an unfamiliar location or with an unfamiliar vehicle. Having a

passenger get out and act as a spotter can prevent vehicle incidents that occur when going in reverse. Starting
in 2018 all passenger vehicles in the United States are required by law to have a back up camera. These can be
incredibly helpful when you are in a situation where you do not have spotter

available.

Lastly, always drive defensively. Staying within the established speed limits and

driving predictably will help you respond to any changes to traffic that may
occur when you are driving. Do not use your phone while you are driving and

always keep your eyes on the road. If you are distracted, who is driving the
car? When driving, you are not only responsible for your own safety but also

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