Safety Coach
Better to Prepare Than Repair
In Texas, defective or slick tires contributed to 4,108 crashes in 2021, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. That’s more than 11 crashes every day. Help reduce safety risks during National Tire Safety Week (June 26-July 3).
- Review your organization’s fleet policies and procedures to ensure tire maintenance is covered and tracked on a regular basis
- Prioritize the safety of your employees and their family members by making tire safety a focal point during the summer months
Play this video from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at the start of a safety meeting: Life of a Tire. Then, share these tips:
- Hot weather can cause drastic heat buildup and weaken tires; hot roads combined with normal tire rotation, turning and braking can increase the potential for safety hazards
- Check tire pressure monthly; low tire pressure affects safety, tire durability and fuel consumption
- Check tire tread for wear monthly; tread depth plays an important role in steering control and traction on wet, muddy or gravel surfaces
Download, print and display these free resources from NHTSA:
Get more information and safety tips from the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association. Tires often are put to the test during inclement weather. In Texas, road conditions change quickly. Wet road surfaces can cause tires to hydroplane. This could lead to loss of vehicle control.
- Guide a presentation using our Traffic Safety Huddle, Driving in the Rain
- Display this vintage safety poster: Adjust Driving to Bad Weather Conditions
When it comes to tires, continuing education is one piece of the safety puzzle. Maintenance is another. When you stay on top of both, you can prevent crash incidents.
Tailgate Talk
Smart Walking, Alert Driving
Nearly everyone is a pedestrian at some point during a typical day, including your coworkers and their family members. Maybe they walk out the front door, drive to work and walk across the parking lot into the office. Maybe they walk from the loading dock to their fleet vehicle and walk around the vehicle to conduct a routine inspection. Maybe they count steps as part of an exercise routine or hustle in and out of the grocery store.
Pedestrians share the road with motorists, and injuries and fatalities have soared. You can help everyone stay safe. Play our NEW driver-behavior safety series video to grab your team’s attention:
Then, tap into these free resources to improve pedestrian safety awareness and provide continuing education at your location. Many of these resources are available in English and Spanish:
- Pedestrian safety posters (collection of four)
- Teaching tools (including infographics, safety coach cards and a two-sided safety tip sheet for hanging in windows)
- Video: Parking lots, hot cars and distraction
Speeding, impaired driving and distracted driving contributed to a 15.2% increase in pedestrian fatalities in Texas in 2021, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. You can help swing the pendulum back toward safety.
You can have fun, too. Test the pedestrian-safety knowledge of your employees. How much do they already know? How much did they learn? Review the results.
During the summer months, nearly everyone is out and about, doing everything from attending country music festivals to hiking in the Guadalupe Mountains. Everyone is safer when motorists and pedestrians keep an eye out for each other and share the road. You can lead the way.