PLH GROUP NEWS
Vehicle Inspections Avoid Roadway Distractions
Date: April 13, 2022
Snelson Companies employees ensure that their trucks are not only in good, operational condition, but that all tools and equipment are properly secured prior to entering the roadways.
Think about what distracted driving means to you. Did you think about using a cell phone while behind the wheel?
Likely, yes.
Operating a cell phone while driving killed 3,142 people in 2019. It is a major offense of distracted driving. However, it is not the only offense.
Now think of this. You are driving down the interstate and an unknown warning light appears on your dashboard. You’ve never seen this light before, so you’re not quite sure what your vehicle is trying to tell you. Instead of finding a safe place on the side of the road to investigate, you scroll through your dashboard options to try to find more information. Was this ever you?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines distracted driving as any activity that diverts attention from driving. This includes texting, talking with passengers, eating, scrolling through the radio, and navigating your dashboard.
That is why it is so important to perform routine maintenance and vehicle inspections prior to embarking on a trip.
Also, take time to learn your vehicle, including sounds and the way it handles, to avoid vehicle maintenance distractions while behind the wheel.
Power Line Services ensures their vehicles are inspected regularly and are ready to depart on short notice. Crews are always prepared to respond to storm damage, like the ice storm damage that impacted parts of Oklahoma in February.
To help you perform thorough vehicle inspections, create a list that applies directly to your work and daily tasks. Review this list routinely and amend it as needed. This list should include the condition, cleanliness, angles, or levels of the following:
- Windows and mirrors
- Internal lights
- External lights
- Fluid levels (windshield, radiator, oil, brake, transmission, etc.)
- Tires (including spare)
- Truck bed and fasteners
- Trailer hitch
- Emergency kit
In addition to the operation of your vehicle, check how prepared your vehicle is for a trip. Is there trash on the dashboard? Is your GPS charger easily available and plugged in? Do you have sunglasses easily accessible? (Remember, sunglasses aren’t just needed in the summertime. Light’s reflection off a wet or icy surface can cause an intense glare, also.)
If an unanticipated distraction arises while you are driving, safely pull off the road. Know who to contact if your vehicle needs maintenance and have that contact information readily available.
The term “distracted driving” relates to more than cell phone usage. Distractions vary person by person, job by job, day by day. Brainstorm how to combat these distractions before your trip so they don’t present themselves while you are behind the wheel.
PLH Group is a leading full-service construction and specialty contractor that serves the electric power and pipeline markets. PLH Group has assembled a North American team of top-quality companies that deliver services covering the broad range of needs of its customers – from pipeline construction and integrity maintenance to electric transmission, distribution, and substation construction and maintenance. Safety, expertise, and collaboration distinguish PLH Group’s diversified energy infrastructure solutions.
