The End of Daylight Saving Time: Tips for Fleet Drivers

24 Oct 2017

Daylight saving time comes to an end on Sunday, November 5, 2017 at 2:00 a.m. This signals longer nights and more hours of darkness in a given day. For fleet drivers, this means increased dangers on the road.

Keeping your drivers safe, is one of your top priorities as a fleet manager. These are some of the dangers your drivers will face once there are more hours of darkness in the day and what you can do to help.

Fatigue

Your drivers don’t have to be on lengthy trips to experience fatigue while driving, but longer trips can exacerbate tiredness behind the wheel. According to the National Safety Council, reported that the majority of fatigue-related accidents and near misses occur between the hours of midnight and 2:00 a.m., 4:00 and 6:00 a.m., and 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. When this is exacerbated by things like darkness, poorer vision at night, and other distractions it can become a recipe for disaster on the road.

Encourage your drivers to get between seven and nine hours of sleep before getting behind the wheel, stopping every two hours to give themselves a break, and pulling over for a nap if they are too drowsy to continue. Practices like these will save lives, spare cargo, and keep your drivers alert so they can return home safely.

Impaired Night Vision

As you age, your night vision decreases. This means you’ll need more light to see as well as younger drivers on the road. While there is little you can do about your driver’s vision other than provide outstanding vision coverage and encouraging yearly exams, there are things you can do to improve the lighting. The National Safety Council recommends the following to combat night vision impairments: clean headlights, taillights, etc. weekly – or more often if necessary; ensure that headlights are properly aimed, and instruct drivers to reduce speed and following distances while driving at night.

Install GPS Tracking Software

GPS fleet tracking can be used for far more than providing directions. It can help you track the number of hours your drivers are behind the wheel and how frequently they take breaks while driving. It can even signal you, and send alerts, if drivers are showing signs of sleepy or distracted driving, driving too fast at night, and various other risky behaviors behind the wheel.

Keeping your drivers safe at night is a priority as daylight saving time approaches when nights grow longer and may seem endless to drivers on the road. These tips will help you keep your drivers safer while on the road.

Looking to boost your fleet’s productivity, reduce fleet fuel and maintenance costs, and improve fleet drivers driving? Take a look out LiveViewGPS fleet tracking products, like the Fleet Tracker OBD.

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About George Karonis

George Karonis is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of LiveViewGPS Inc., a company he established in 2008 with the vision of making real-time GPS tracking more reliable, affordable, and accessible for businesses of all sizes. Over the past two decades, he has built a reputation as an innovator in GPS tracking, fleet management, asset monitoring, and Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PTToC) communications. Under George's leadership, LiveViewGPS has grown into a nationally recognized provider of GPS tracking solutions, serving businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, law enforcement organizations, and public works departments throughout the United States. The company's technology helps organizations improve operational efficiency, protect valuable assets, increase driver safety, and reduce operating costs through real-time location intelligence. Before founding LiveViewGPS, George developed a background in security, surveillance, and emerging location technologies. His passion for innovation and practical problem solving has driven the development of products that combine dependable hardware with easy-to-use cloud software, giving customers actionable information when it matters most. In 2018, George expanded into nationwide Push-to-Talk over Cellular communications by launching PeakPTT, providing businesses with rugged, instant communication solutions that operate over LTE and Wi-Fi networks. His focus has remained the same throughout his career: delivering dependable technology backed by exceptional customer service and long-term customer relationships. George regularly writes about GPS tracking, fleet management, asset protection, business technology, and communication systems. Through this blog, he shares industry insights, practical advice, and emerging trends to help organizations make informed decisions about tracking technology and connected operations.