Castrol urges truckers to drive safely during lockdown

The production, distribution and supply of food and basic goods has been deemed an essential service – meaning truck drivers will need to remain on the roads during the lockdown.

Bearing this in mind, Castrol South Africa has urged fleet operators and truck drivers to ensure that road safety is top of mind during this critical time.

In addition, adequate steps should be taken to ensure the health and wellness of the drivers while they traverse the country as a vital link in the supply chain management of essential goods, services and products during this time.

“The significant drop in regular road users across the country will come as a welcome relief for truckers, who will largely have the roads to themselves until at least mid-April,” says Satha Govender, strategy and projects manager of Castrol South Africa. “There is a chance, however, that this lack of traffic could have an overwhelming calming effect on drivers whose senses may be numbed as a result.”

Driver fatigue is a constant and very real issue for truckers under normal circumstances, but without the frustration of having to contend with the impatient and often erratic behaviour of drivers of passenger vehicles, commercial vehicle drivers may be faced with heightened levels of complacency while behind the wheel, leading to drowsiness.

While emergency personnel, police and traffic officers are also exempt from the lockdown, any incidents on the road, especially in more remote areas, could be disastrous as reaction times and the dispatch of rescue services will certainly be slower than usual.

Castrol asks that fleet operators share some helpful tips with their drivers who will be mobile during lockdown.

ALTER TRAVEL TIMES

Under normal circumstances it is common for truck drivers to operate at night when road congestion is low. However, during the lockdown weeks, this window will be opened to daylight hours. Therefore, night journeys should be shifted to the day wherever possible and feasible.

A study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in the United States found that driver alertness was directly related to “time-of-day” more so than “time-on-task”. Most people are less alert at night, especially after midnight.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Ensure that drivers get an adequate amount of sleep before getting behind the wheel. Drowsiness may impair a driver’s response time to potential hazards and increase the chances of being involved in an accident. If drivers do become drowsy, advise them to find a safe place to pull over and stop to rest.

TAKE A NAP

If possible, drivers should take a short nap when feeling drowsy or less alert. Naps should last at least 10 minutes, but the ideal nap time is up to 45 minutes. Also allow at least 15 minutes after waking to fully recover and walk around a bit, before starting to drive again.

DO NOT RELY ON QUICK TRICKS

Behaviours such as smoking, turning up the volume on the radio, drinking coffee, opening the window and other “alertness tricks” are short-term cures for drowsiness and may give the driver a false sense of security. Coffee and energy drinks can be particularly dangerous as the effect of caffeine can be strong initially, but drop off very quickly as it is absorbed into the bloodstream.

AVOID UNNECESSARY MEDICATION

Most medications that induce drowsiness include a warning label indicating that one should not operate vehicles or machinery during use. Some of the most common medicines that may induce drowsiness are those used for allergies or colds.

In a recent study, 17 percent of commercial motor vehicle drivers were reported as having “over-the-counter drug use” at the time of a crash. If a driver must drive with a cold, it is safer to suffer from the cold than drive under the effects of the medicine.

Drivers of commercial motor vehicles will have to transport essential goods such as medical products, food and fuel across South Africa during the lockdown period. Employers should ensure that their truck drivers implement extra personal health and safety precautions, and know what immediate steps to take should they display any symptoms of the virus.

Govender says: “No delivery is worth the risk of a life, but now, more than ever, the lives of the general public will depend on these deliveries. As such, we reiterate safety first in each essential link of the supply chain during this lockdown period of the coronavirus pandemic.”

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Focus on Transport

FOCUS on Transport and Logistics is the oldest and most respected transport and logistics publication in southern Africa.
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