Do you know how many employees in your organization drive on the job?
Before answering, consider what counts as work-related driving in B.C. Full-time delivery drivers are an obvious example. But don’t overlook other employees who may drive occasionally or part time. They may pick up office supplies, drive between worksites, or travel to see clients. In all cases, and many more, they are driving for work — even when using their own vehicle.
Here’s why it matters: Driving may be the most dangerous thing they do at work, especially at this time of year. Crashes resulting in injury and time off work during November through January go up by 26% compared with other months, according to WorkSafeBC statistics for the last five years.
Building winter road safety into your occupational health and safety plan can help reduce the risk.
Prepare drivers and vehicles now
It’s been months since drivers have dealt with snow, ice, and unpredictable road conditions. They haven’t needed winter tires or chains. They may be using different vehicles or driving new routes than they were last fall and winter.
You can help prepare your organization’s drivers by spending a few minutes with them to review:
- Winter driving safety procedures
- Their vehicle’s inspection report, to make sure the vehicle is winter-ready and has an emergency kit
- Proper use of their vehicle’s safety features
Train drivers to read the road
Use the following reminders to help employees read winter roads, provided by Road Safety at Work’s
Shift into Winter campaign.
Require drivers to check
DriveBC.ca for current road and weather conditions before they head out. Encourage dispatchers and fellow drivers to share information. Apply journey management principles by using our
trip plan form.
- Look for clues indicating black ice
Teach drivers to be on the lookout for tell-tale signs of black ice. It’s common when temperatures fluctuate between 5C and -5C, and in shaded areas and under bridges and overpasses. A sheen on the road and glare from the sun or headlights are other indicators.
- Keep an eye on tire spray
The amount and type of tire spray can reveal a lot about road conditions. A slushy spray that dirties the windshield means good traction. Less spray but a wet-looking road signals it’s starting to freeze. Coarse spray with ice crystals indicates a freezing road. Wet roads with little spray may mean black ice.
Share this information
Download Shift into Winter’s
Reading the Road in Winter Conditions brochure and give it to drivers.
More winter driving safety information for employers and supervisors can be found
here.
