Penske Truck Leasing

Top 5 Dangerous Driving Behaviors To Avoid

Summertime doesn’t just make the temperature soar. Other drivers on the road get short-tempered in hot weather, too, increasing the risk for dangerous and aggressive driving behaviors.

The best way to keep your cool is to avoid aggressive driving at all costs by being a defensive driver and avoid reckless, careless and otherwise dangerous driving. What does that mean?

Reckless driving is driving with willful or blatant disregard for the safety of people or property.

Careless or dangerous driving is driving without reasonable consideration for other motorists or people on the road or otherwise driving in an unsafe manner placing yourself and others at risk of injury.

Whenever law enforcement personnel see the signs of reckless, careless or dangerous driving, they’ll pull you over. Last year, a total of 5,756 warnings and 4,494 citations were issued during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) annual Operation Safe Driver Week.

Don’t run the risk of a citation or accident. Avoid these top 5 dangerous driving behaviors:

1. Speeding: Always drive at or below the posted speed limit. Slow down even further during storms or while driving on rain-soaked roads.

Speeding was a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2022, killing 12,151 people. (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, NHTSA)

2. Distracted driving: Avoid anything that takes your eyes off the road or hands off the steering wheel, even for a second! This includes talking or texting on a phone, using dispatch devices, eating, reading, adjusting the radio, or looking at passing billboards, buildings or people.

Distracted driving claimed 3,275 lives in 2023. (NHTSA)

3. Drunk or drugged driving: Never operate any vehicle, including CMV’s, while under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or other banned substances. When you get caught, you will be disqualified from driving.

Drunk driving claims the lives of 1 person every 39 minutes in the United States. (NHTSA)

4. Following too closely: Maintain a following distance of one second for each 10 feet of vehicle length. Add a second if you’re driving over 40 mph.

Rear-end crashes account for 29% of all crashes. (NHTSA)

5. Not wearing a seat belt: Federal law requires CMV drivers to always wear seat belts. They remain one of the cheapest, easiest ways to protect yourself behind the wheel.

More than 12,000 people killed in 2022 crashes were not wearing seat belts. (NHTSA)

A few other risky driving behaviors to avoid: Changing lanes frequently, not using turn signals while changing lanes, disobeying traffic signs, cutting off other motorists and falling asleep while driving.

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New Year's Resolution: Defensive Driving in 2025

New year, new SAFE habits. Make 2025 your safest year yet behind the wheel by sharpening your defensive driving skills. When you drive defensively, you can protect yourself, others, your rig and your cargo, no matter how badly other motorists behave.

Expect the unexpected, react calmly and confidently, and steer clear of accidents with these eight tips.

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Holiday Road: 8 Tips for Staying Safe in a Shorter Season

Professional drivers, when it comes to the 2024 holiday season, the calendar is not on your side.

A late Thanksgiving has compressed the holiday rush, meaning more traffic, tighter schedules and heightened risks heading into Christmas Day. Plus, many parts of the country have already seen their first snowfalls, creating treacherous driving conditions.

The best way to stay safe amid the holiday hustle and bustle is to give yourself the gift of patience. Follow these eight tips:

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Drivers: Start Living Heart-Healthy Today

With long hours spent sitting in a cab, little opportunity to exercise, few healthy food choices and large amounts of stress, driving a truck brings many challenges. Staying heart healthy may be one of the biggest ones.

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Roadside Emergency Kit: What Drivers Should Pack

What hazards will this winter bring to commercial motor vehicle drivers? While nobody knows for sure how bad each winter may be, the Farmer’s Almanac indicates that the winter of 2024-25 will be wet and cold in most locations, with little downtime in between rapid-fire storms.

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7 Wellness Tips for Truck Drivers

Professional drivers, it’s time to put your health first. While it’s not always easy to eat right, exercise and sleep well on the road, you can improve your well-being by taking a few simple steps. If you’re ready to keep fit and embrace health, put these seven top truck driver wellness tips into motion now.

1. Stretch and move

Stay flexible by performing shoulder shrugs or arm stretches at stop lights. Ease back pain by adjusting your mirrors, keeping your arms comfortable and avoiding leaning over the wheel while driving. Get out and walk around your truck whenever you can. Do equipment-free exercises like pushups, lunges and squats. Or use inexpensive, portable equipment — like a jump rope, small dumbbells or resistance bands — and incorporate some cardio and strength training into your day.

2. Find the time

Take your 30-minute breaks, 10-hour breaks and 34-hour reset. Build fitness into your pre-trip or post-trip routine. Consider a short workout while you do laundry.

3. Pack healthy meals and snacks

Resist the urge to grab fast food and truck stop fare. Prepare your meals for the week at home, pack them in reusable containers, and put them in your truck’s fridge so they’re with you on the road. Swap out empty-calorie snack foods for healthier options like apple slices, nuts, fruits or veggies. Avoid sugary sodas and stay hydrated with low-calorie or zero-calorie electrolyte drinks or water.

4. Get more mindful

Improve your focus with activities like deep breathing and meditation. Keep in touch with family and friends. Listen to your favorite podcasts or music to boost your mood.

5. Make sleep a priority

Set the right mood for sleep. Use blackout curtains, an eye mask, a comfortable mattress, or earplugs. Keep the inside of the cab cool and quiet. Avoid electronic devices and heavy meals two hours before sleep. Aim for seven hours’ sleep a night whenever possible. Working out and doing physical activities an hour before you intend to sleep will help you fall asleep faster and get a better quality of sleep.

6. Keep a wellness log

You already keep a driving log, so why not keep a wellness log, too? Write down how much you exercise and sleep. Give yourself a star each time you choose a healthier snack or meal. When you track your progress, you’re more likely to keep making better choices.

7. See a doctor

Improve your long-term health by getting your annual physical. Avoid chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes by keeping track of your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.

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Safe Rules of the Road: Rural, Urban & Highway

As a professional driver, you might travel new routes every day. But the rules of the road can change depending on the landscape and road conditions around you.

Urban routes require lots of starting and stopping. Rural roads can get isolated and tricky. Highways offer their own unique challenges. And if you haven’t driven on one of these types of routes for a little while, adjusting can be tricky.

Prepare yourself by knowing the biggest risks and following these top safety tips for each type of road.

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9 Ways To Park Safe and Smart This Holiday Season

With holiday traffic volumes expected to be at increased levels this year, professional drivers can expect to share the road with millions of motorists nationwide. But the highways won’t be the only crowded place. Truck stops and rest areas will be jam-packed, too!

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Oh Deer: 9 Ways to Avoid Animal Strikes

Did you know November is deer mating season? That means drivers run a high risk for collisions with deer and other wildlife. Data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows that animal-vehicle collisions are two times more likely in November than in any other month of the year.

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Brake for the Bus: Back-To-School Safety Tips for CMV Drivers

Summer is winding down, which means school will be back in session soon. As school buses and their precious cargo – children and teenagers – return to the roads, professional drivers should proceed with extra caution. These five areas bring the biggest challenges and require your utmost attention:

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Safe Passage: What To Do at Railroad Crossings and Low Bridges

Professional drivers never know what they might encounter on their daily routes. But this summer, it’s a safe bet you’ll come across two of the most common danger zones on the road: railroad crossings and low bridges. Both situations require heightened awareness and vigilance to navigate safely. And failing to adhere to proper safety protocols can result in severe damage to your vehicle or cargo. If you’re not careful, these two types of hazards can lead to serious — and even life-threatening — crashes.

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CVSA International Roadcheck 2024: Are You Prepared?

It’s time to gear up for the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck. This year’s 72-hour safety event is set for May 14 – 16. During the Roadcheck, law enforcement personnel will inspect commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) and drivers at weigh stations and inspection stations throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Last year, the CVSA inspected nearly 60,000 CMVs and drivers during the three-day Roadcheck, placing 19.3% of vehicles and 5.8% of drivers out of service (OOS).

This year, CVSA inspectors will focus on these two areas.

1. Tractor protection systems.

Inspectors will look at your vehicle’s tractor protection valve, trailer supply valve and anti-bleed back valve. An inspector will:

Direct you to release all brakes by pressing dash valves
Ask you to carefully remove the gladhands and allow air to escape
Ensure air stops leaking from the supply line with at least 20 psi remaining
Listen and/or feel for any leaking air at the gladhand couplers on the trailer
Request a full-service brake application
Listen and/or feel for leaks from both air lines

To avoid a vehicle OOS violation, test these valves properly during your pre-trip inspections.

2. Alcohol and controlled substance possession.

The possession and use of alcohol and controlled substances remains a significant safety concern for all motorists. The number of prohibited drivers on the U.S. Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse has been increasing.

During an inspection, law enforcement personnel will:

Observe drivers for signs of alcohol or controlled substance use and/or impairment
Examine the cab and trailer for alcohol or controlled substances
Conduct a Clearinghouse query (U.S. drivers only)

Do not possess or be under the influence of any alcohol or controlled substances. Drivers cannot use alcohol within four hours of coming on duty. Remember that marijuana remains a controlled substance under federal U.S. regulation, and any state legalization is superseded by this. Avoid marijuana and products containing CBD. CBD is unregulated and often contains THC, which may cause a positive drug test.

In addition, drivers should take these steps to avoid the most common reasons for vehicle and driver OOS violations.

Conduct a thorough pre-trip inspection. Pay special attention to brake systems, service brakes, tires and lights, four of the top-five vehicle OOS violations in the U.S. last year. Also, make sure all cargo is properly secured. If you find any issues during your pre-trip inspection, file a driver vehicle inspection report (DIVR).
Keep your logs up to date and accurate. Hours-of-service violations and false logs were the top two driver OOS violations last year.
Make sure your driver’s license is current and always carry your DOT medical card with you.

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Secure Your Cargo (& Avoid the Perils of Shifting Loads)

As a professional driver, you face countless challenges on the road, and you can’t anticipate them all. But here’s one that’s totally within your control: keeping your cargo safe and secure.

Proper cargo securement is more than just making sure every item in your trailer or flatbed is tied down. It also involves achieving the right balance. When your cargo is evenly distributed, you’ll avoid the risk of load shifting. It’s a serious problem that makes a truck difficult to drive. It can even cause a truck to roll over.

A few ways to secure your cargo and prevent load shifting:

Sweep out your trailer so you start with a clean floor.
Inspect all securement devices (tie-downs, ratchet straps, chains, binders, cargo nets) for signs of wear and tear. Replace any damaged tie-downs and be sure to always carry more than needed just in case a replacement is needed while on the road.
Check the working load limit (WLL) of your tie-downs so you don’t overstress them.
Inspect the load you’ll be hauling. Look for the weight (which should be listed on the bill of lading) and length of your cargo.

As you load

Use the right number of tie-downs. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recommendations call for:
- One tie-down for items that are 5 feet long or shorter and weigh 1,100 lbs. or less
- Two tie-downs for
  - Items that are 5 feet long or shorter and weigh 1,100 lbs. or more
  - Items that are longer than 5 feet but shorter than 10 feet
- Use additional tie-downs for every extra 10 foot of length
- Unsure of how many tie-downs to use? Add an extra tie-down or two to be extra cautious.
Make sure all securement devices are tight but not too tight—they should snap like a rubber band.
Use edge protectors to prevent straps from damaging your cargo.
Secure any rolling cargo with chocks, wedges or cradles.
Distribute your load as evenly as possible and try to secure cargo to fixed points inside your trailer or on a flatbed.

As you drive

Inspect your cargo within the first 50 miles, then every 3 hours, 150 miles or at change of duty. Make sure nothing has shifted or moved. Tighten any loose tie-downs.
Drive safely. Take tight curves slowly. Avoid harsh braking. Slow down in inclement weather.

Remember, proper cargo securement is the driver’s responsibility. Take the time to balance your load, drive safely, and check your load in transport to keep you and your cargo safe.

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GoPenske Truck Rental Truck Leasing Logistics

If your blood pressure is:	You can:
Under 140/90 mmHg	Receive a 2-year certification
140-159/90-99 mmHg	Receive a 1-year certification
160-179/100-109 mmHg	Receive a 3-month certification; must initiate treatment
180/110 mmHg or higher	Disqualified until blood pressure is down to 140/90

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Use the Three Points of Contact

Wear Proper Footwear

Why the focus on high blood pressure?

How to keep your blood pressure in check

1. Move more often.

2. Watch what you eat.

3. Cut the nicotine.

4. Ease your mind.

5. Get enough sleep.

6. See a doctor.

1. Scan the Road Ahead

2. Give Yourself Some Space

3. Watch Your Blind Spots

4. Look for a Way Out

5. Make Your Rig Visible to Others

6. Expect Other Drivers To Be Aggressive

7. Avoid Distractions

8. Slow Down and Buckle Up

Follow this two-step process to get heart-healthy:

Mandatory Items

Other Basic Items

Items Specifically for Cold Weather Driving

Over-The-Road Breakdowns & Accidents

Medical Emergencies

1. Stretch and move

2. Find the time

3. Pack healthy meals and snacks

4. Get more mindful

5. Make sleep a priority

6. Keep a wellness log

7. See a doctor

Urban Roads

Rural Roads

Highways

1. School Zones

2. Bus Stops

3. Residential Areas

4. Intersections

5. Right in Front of You

Consider This:

Do This:

1. Tractor protection systems.

2. Alcohol and controlled substance possession.