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Facts on Decision Driving
Driving a CMV requires full concentration and attention and there are many decision making processes going on simultaneously. Time and motion studies have discovered that on average, a driver will make 160 driving decisions/mile. So, for a 1500 mile route, that is 240,000 driving decisions. In a 7 day period, that adds up to 1,680,000 decisions; in a year, 87,360,000 driving decisions!!!!
So, what constitutes as a “driving decision”? Examples of driving decisions are: checking mirrors, checking gauges, slowing down, speeding up, signaling, executing a lane change, keeping the proper following distance, and proper lane positioning before a turn. These decisions are more than likely second nature to a driver who has more experience.
Many factors assist in making driving decisions. Some are Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and some are company polices & procedures. These tell a driver what they can and cannot do. Other influences are self-interest, self-priorities, and values. These assist in making decisions by understanding that if a driver does not obey the law and rules of the road, they could be harmed in some way. Priorities assist in making decisions primarily based on what is important at the time. Finally, values influence the decision making process because they are deeply held beliefs beyond compromise. Values and instilled at an early age and are uncompromising.
Drivers must make correct decisions within a split second. Failure to do so can put the driver and the motoring public at risk of injury or even death.
So, what helps a driver to make the correct decision? Apart from experience, knowledge! Knowledge and understanding of the types of car and truck crashes that can lead to catastrophe is key to making correct decisions behind the wheel. So is knowing the correct techniques to prevent the catastrophic car/truck collisions.
Are you making the best decisions on the road? Share your tips with us! Together we can make the industry and the roads safer!