Driving the work truck safely

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related deaths in the U.S., and the first or second cause in every major industry. From 2011 to 2022, more than 21,000 workers died in work-related crashes, about 35 percent of all work deaths. In 2019, work-related crashes cost employers $39 billion.

Phones and distraction

Distraction takes the driver's eyes off the road, hands off the wheel or mind off driving. A phone can do all three, and hands-free calls distract as much as handheld ones. A driver on a phone may look at, but not see, up to half of what's around the truck.

• Set a no-phone rule. No texting, handheld or hands-free calls in a company vehicle, and no company phone in a personal vehicle while driving.
• Pull over to use the phone. Stop in a safe spot to look up directions, text or take a call.
• Set it up before you go. Program the route and adjust the mirrors and controls before the truck moves.
• Leave dropped things on the floor. Don't reach for something on the floor, in the glove box or sliding off the seat.
• Write it down. Explain the rules and the consequences to the crew, and have each driver sign that they understand them.

Distracted driving and the phone covers distraction for any driver.

Hours and fatigue

As of 2025, as many as one in five fatal crashes involve a tired driver. After 17 hours awake, impairment equals a blood alcohol level of .05, and after 24 hours it equals .10. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep, and in a 2013 to 2014 survey, 37 percent of workers got less than 7.

• Limit the hours. Set limits on overtime and on back-to-back long shifts.
• Staff for the season. Enough people on the crew keeps vacations, sick days and turnover from piling extra hours on the rest.
• Allow breaks. Build rest breaks into long days.
• Know the warning signs. Nodding off, drifting from the lane, slow reactions, tunnel vision and forgetting the last few miles.
• Pull over when drowsy. Stop somewhere safe, have a coffee and nap for 15 to 30 minutes. It helps for a while, but only sleep fixes fatigue.
• Look out for each other. Encourage the crew to speak up about a coworker who seems too tired to drive.

Drowsy driving and the warning signs has more on the signs.

An annotated example

What to do next

Write a no-phone-while-driving rule and an hours limit for the crew, and go over both with every driver.