Driving Safety

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video, MobileReady

Many businesses depend heavily on their fleet of vehicles. In some businesses, such as package or propane delivery, or taxis, the fleet really is the business. In other cases, such as trades like electricians and plumbers, the vehicle is somewhat secondary to the actual job being performed, but no less important. In order for businesses which rely on vehicles to thrive, those vehicles which make up the fleet need to be able to operate safely and properly as close to 100% of the time as possible.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe the difference between “reactive maintenance” and “preventive maintenance”
• List the benefits of preventive truck maintenance
• Describe how preventive maintenance can save money
• List the major elements of preventive maintenance systems
• List the responsibilities of a driver in a preventive maintenance system
• List some safety related inspection items for a delivery truck
• List some scheduled mechanical maintenance items for a delivery truck

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Bobtailing is sometimes necessary but a dangerous method of driving a big rig tractor without any trailing component. This program is designed to train your drivers on the challenges of bobtailing and the dangers of jackknifing. Drivers will learn how the profile, weight dynamics and engine power of the tractor can cause problems without a trailer attached.

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

The single most important component in any vehicle is the braking system, especially on heavy trucks. The tractor portion of a tractor-semi trailer rig may have ten or more valves controlling the air flow to the brakes. This program reviews the types of braking systems found on large trucks versus cars and illustrates the importance of properly maintaining the braking system.

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Fundamental
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Backing a single trailer or a set of doubles with a semi tractor is the most dangerous, intricate and time-consuming set of maneuvers a big rig driver has to master. No matter how many miles you drive forward, not one of those miles will help when it comes to backing. This program trains drivers on the mechanics and techniques required in backing large vehicles such as tractor trailers, and discusses using the _cone of visibility_ to insure safe backing.

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Hidden hazards are not easily identifiable. They are partially or completely hidden from your view, but still have the potential to develop into a risk. Because the hazard is partially or completely hidden, it is unlikely you will be able anticipate the risk far in advance. This course will identify examples of hidden hazards and best practices to reduce the risks of these hazards.

Learning Objectives

• Define “hidden hazard”
• Identify examples of hidden hazards
• Describe best practices when scanning for hidden hazards
• Identify defensive driving techniques that can reduce the risk of hidden hazards

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

How often do you need to back up your vehicle? If you are like most drivers, you spend less time backing up than driving forward. However, backing up is one of the more risky maneuvers you do throughout the day, especially if it is in crowded parking lots or restricted spaces. This course will identify potential hazards for backing up and best practices for avoiding those hazards.

Learning Objectives

• Describe why backing up is risky
• Identify potential hazards to safely backing up
• Identify the number one way to prevent crashes while backing up
• Describe best practices to safely back up

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Driver distraction has become a serious problem, and unfortunately, seems to be increasing. Think about the last time you drove or rode in a car. Did you notice other distracted drivers? Or, were you distracted while driving? Even though most people know distracted driving is risky, they still become distracted while they drive. This course will describe why distracted driving is risky and identify strategies to reduce distracted driving.

Learning Objectives

• Define distracted driving 
• Identify three types of distracted driving
• Describe why distracted driving is risky
• Identify strategies to reduce distracted driving

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Although most driving occurs during the daytime hours with good visibility, there are instances where you may have to drive with limited visibility or in inclement weather. This course identifies common environmental hazards and strategies to prevent crashes related to environmental hazards.

Learning Objectives

• Define common environmental hazards
• Identify why environmental hazards may cause a crash
• Identify strategies to prevent crashes related environmental hazards

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Intersections are one of the most dangerous locations on any roadway. You should pay particular attention to the cross traffic as you approach the intersection. Cross traffic includes all road users that are traveling on the intersecting road and may cross or enter your path. This course will identify common contributing factors to cross traffic intersection collisions and strategies to prevent intersection collisions due to cross traffic.

Learning Objectives

• Define a cross traffic intersection collision
• Describe common contributing factors to cross traffic intersection collisions
• Identify strategies to prevent intersection collisions due to cross traffic

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

More than 25 percent of all car crashes are rear-end collisions. A rear-end crash occurs when the front of one vehicle comes into contact with the rear of another vehicle. This course will describe contributing factors to rear-end crashes and identify strategies to prevent rear-ending or being rear-ended by another vehicle.

Learning Objectives

• Define a rear-end crash
• Describe contributing factors to rear-end crashes
• Identify strategies to prevent rear-end crashes
• Identify strategies to prevent being rear-ended

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Intersections are one of the most dangerous locations on the roadway. Research has shown that a large number of crashes every year occur in an intersection or are intersection-related. This course identifies intersection hazards and strategies to prevent crashes in intersections.

Learning Objectives

• Define an intersection
• Identify common types of intersections
• Describe the most important strategy to preventing turning related crashes
• Identify strategies to prevent T-intersection crashes
• Describe how to safely navigate a roundabout

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Have you ever noticed another vehicle drifting slowing across the lane line into your lane? Or perhaps your vehicle was the one unintentionally crossing the lane line into another lane? If so, you are not alone, this is a common sideswipe crash scenario. This course will identify potential hazards that may lead to sideswipe crashes and best practices for avoiding those hazards.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the types of sideswipe crashes
• Identify potential hazards that may lead to sideswipe crashes
• Identify strategies to prevent another vehicle from sideswiping you
• Identify strategies to prevent you from sideswiping another vehicle

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Unless you are driving on an interstate, it is possible you will be sharing the road with other types of road users. For example, you may encounter pedestrians and bicyclists while driving in urban, suburban, or rural areas. These situations are dangerous because collisions between vehicles and cyclists or pedestrians often result in serious injuries or fatalities. This course will identify clues that cyclists and pedestrians may become hazards and strategies to prevent collisions with cyclists or pedestrians.

Learning Objectives

• Describe why crashes occur between cars and cyclists or pedestrians
• Identify clues that cyclists and pedestrians may become hazards
• Identify strategies to prevent collisions with cyclists or pedestrians

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English, Portuguese
Capability: Audio, Video

When operating heavy equipment, the driver’s view is likely to be blocked in several directions. These “blind spots” can even obscure a person standing right next to the equipment. One wrong move and that person could be injured or even killed. But these incidents do not have to happen. This module will discuss how to safely operate and work around heavy equipment to avoid injuries.

Learning Objectives

• Describe how to properly observe the worksite before beginning work
• Describe the items that should be inspected before operating heavy equipment
• Describe how to scan the worksite while driving heavy equipment
• Identify the most common areas for blind spots
• Describe safe practices for operating heavy equipment near people
• Identify and describe tips for working near heavy equipment

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Understanding the importance of being an alert driver can mean the difference between life and death. Learn how to observe conditions around you, anticipate hazardous situations, and react to avoid hazards with our Alert Driving course. Our course discusses driving at safe speeds, the dangers of driving while impaired, and illustrates how to increase your reaction time by following the two-second rule. Alert driving is a fundamental element of safe, defensive driving techniques.

Learning Objectives

• Driving while impaired
• Avoiding distractions
• Scanning the road
• Things to look for
• Increasing reaction time
• The two-second rule

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English, French
Capability: Audio, Video

Over 4 billion tons of hazardous materials are transported in the U.S. every year. Due to their inherent risks to life, property, and the environment, the U.S. DOT established the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) to cover the classification, labeling, packaging, and handling of hazardous materials. The HMR also regulate hazmat training, incident reporting, hazard communication, and security. This course addresses safety training for hazmat employees. It provides them with the information they need to keep themselves and others safe when working with or around hazardous materials. This includes potential hazards, precautions that can be taken, basic first aid measures, and how to deal with leaks, spills, and fires. Regulations covered: 49 CFR 171-180 (2015): Hazardous Materials Regulations 49 CFR 172.704 (2015)

Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Provide the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) definition for “hazardous material”
• Describe the application of the U.S. DOT’s Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR)
• Identify whom must comply with the HMR
• Describe the purpose of hazmat package markings, labels, and shipping papers
• Identify where one can find the emergency response information for a hazmat shipment
• List Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) appropriate for working around chemicals
• Identify first aid measures and how to respond to hazmat spills and fires

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Safe drivers recognize potential hazards and stay out of harm’s way. With our Driving Hazard Recognition course, you’ll learn techniques for negotiating intersections and blind spots as well as avoiding erratic drivers, pedestrians, animals, and parked vehicles. You’ll also learn about driving with limited visibility and in slippery conditions. Paying extra attention to common driving hazards can help ensure that your passengers and cargo return home safely.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Intersections
• Blind spots
• Limited visibility
• Losing traction
• Erratic drivers
• Pedestrians, animals, parked vehicles

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Vehicles on public roadways come in many different shapes and sizes. Most passenger vehicles – cars, vans, SUVs, and pickup trucks – have similar configurations and controls, and drivers of these vehicles understand their capabilities and limitations. However, drivers of large trucks and heavy equipment must use extra caution in order to safely navigate and share the roads with smaller vehicles. This course covers some of the things that must be considered when driving large vehicles or operating heavy equipment in order to ensure the safety of operators and people who are nearby. Topics covered include blind spot awareness, how to safely back up, dealing with inclement weather and poor road conditions, construction and work zone considerations, and minimizing in-cab distractions.

Learning Objectives

• List the items you should check before starting up a large vehicle or piece of heavy equipment
• List the additional limitations that large vehicles and heavy equipment have when compared to smaller vehicles
• Identify the blind spots on a large semi-truck
• Describe how you can safely back up a large truck or piece of heavy equipment
• Describe how high winds, standing water, driving in rain or snow, potholes, and sun glare can be hazardous while driving
• List the steps you should take if your vehicle begins to overheat or hydroplane
• List the main reasons large vehicles have longer stopping distances
• List rules that can help improve safety at construction zones and work zones

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

The Department of Transportation’s Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) was created to help firefighters, law enforcement officers, medical personnel, and other first responders quickly identify the hazards present at transportation emergencies involving hazardous materials in order to protect themselves and the public. The ERG contains indexed lists of hazardous materials, the general hazards each material presents, and recommended safety precautions for emergency incidents. It is used in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and several South American countries.

Learning Objectives

• Explain the purpose of the U.S. DOT’s Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG)
• Define the terms “hazardous material” and “initial response period”
• Describe the purpose and contents of the six color-coded sections of the ERG

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Be prepared for any trip with our Driving Preparation training that provides the basics of vehicle maintenance and inspection as well as suggestions for planning your route. Our course also suggests some valuable emergency supplies that can help prevent a minor inconvenience from becoming a major problem, such as common tools, spare tire, jumper cables and more. In addition to saving time and other costs, proper driving preparation can ultimately save your life as well as the lives of other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians around you.

Learning Objectives

• Vehicle maintenance
• Vehicle inspection
• Planning
• Emergency supplies
• Securing cargo
• Seat belts
• Cell phones

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

The North American Cargo Securement Standard provides the basis for the rules and regulations covering load securement on motor vehicles in the United States and Canada. This standard was created because unsecured loads can cause loss of life and load, cargo and vehicle damage, and accidents with other vehicles. This course covers the purpose of load securement, preparing loads, methods of load securement (including tie-down assemblies), working load limits, tie-down types, and safety.

Learning Objectives

• Specify where and when the North American Cargo Securement Standard applies
• List the three methods of load securement on a motor vehicle
• Define working load limit (WLL) and aggregate working load limit (AWLL)
• Describe how the number of tie-downs required for a load is determined
• List safety guidelines related to cargo securement
• Identify when vehicles and load securement devices should be inspected during transport
• List commodities which have special load securement requirements

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English, Spanish
Capability: Audio, Video

Approximately 1300 tanker truck rollovers occur every year. These rollovers are the reason behind one in four accident-related truck driver deaths. This course emphasizes the importance of drivers paying close attention to the road and its conditions, as well as how their behaviors and decisions can factor in a rollover.

Learning Objectives

• Key statistics on tanker rollovers
• How tanker rollovers occur
• Common causes of tanker rollovers
• Ways to prevent tanker rollovers

Duration: 0.50 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

A work zone is an area of roadway associated with construction, maintenance, or utility work activities. Work zones are typically marked by signs, channeling devices, pavement markings, and/or work vehicles. Because they are often adjacent to active roadways, work zone workers are exposed to significant risks. Motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians can also face significant risks. Roadways and work activities differ, and weather, traffic volumes, and local environments also vary, so a “one size fits” all approach to work zone safety is not appropriate. However, there are policies, procedures, and guidelines which do apply to all. These are covered in this course.

Learning Objectives

• Define the term “work zone”
• List hazardous conditions that work zones can present
• Describe the components of a “Transportation Management Plan,” which can include a “Temporary Traffic Control” plan, “Transportation Operations” plan, and “Public Information” plan
• Describe the purpose and contents of the “Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices”
• Identify and describe “positive protection devices,” “exposure control measures,” and “other traffic control measures”
• Identify the four areas of a work zone
• Describe the elements of an “Internal Traffic Control Plan” for a work zone
• List safe behaviors to use when driving in or around work zones

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Work zones or construction zones are some of the most risky locations on any road. In the United States, a crash occurs in a work zone every 5 to 6 minutes. These crashes result in dozens of serious injuries every day and multiple fatalities each week. This course will identify why work zones are hazardous and describe strategies to reduce your risk of a crash in a work zone.

Learning Objectives

• Identify characteristics of a work zone
• Identify why work zones are hazardous
• Describe strategies to reduce your risk of a crash in a work zone

Duration: 0.25 Hrs

Course Level: Intermediate
Languages: English
Capability: Audio, Video

Speeding is one of the contributing factors in a large percentage of crashes. Not only does speeding above the posted speed limit increase your risk of being involved in a crash, it also increases the severity of the crash. High speed crashes are more likely to result in a fatality or injury compared to lower speed crashes. This course will identify why it is important to manage your speed and space around your vehicle and describe strategies for effective space management.

Learning Objectives

• Define speed and space management
• Identify why it is important to manage your speed and space around your vehicle
• Describe strategies for effective space management