May Safety Info Summer Driving Season NOW Summer

May Safety Info • • • Summer Driving Season = NOW Summer Driving Tips & Techniques Weather – Be Prepared for HOT Climate In Many Areas Prepare for Hurricane Season Diet and Hydration: Important Year ‘Round High Visibility – On & Off The Job – be ‘Mr. Vest Guy’

SUMMER DRIVING = DEFENSIVE DRIVING Plan your trip & route Newer roads = safer; avoid 2 lane undivided Time of Day, Day of week SATURDAY is the WORST day for wrecks Stay clear of semis; trailers; towed; campers, RV’s etc. Watch for: Pedestrians, bicycle; motorcycle; work zone Slow down before & thru WORK ZONES – high crash areas If stuck in queue, use FLASHERS; protect your rear

DEFENSIVE DRIVING TIPS & TECHNIQUES Avoid ‘shit-box’ vehicles. They are signs of marginal driver & skills. Give additional room Use defensive positioning – vehicles tend to group into packs. Stay ahead or behind, not IN THE PACK. Lots of rear end crash happens in packs Caution sitting in a line of stopped vehicles. False start by cars ahead cause rear end crash Intersections - commercial areas - parking lots - big box stores: all have a high crash frequency Avoid congested areas when possible; read the signals ahead; adjust speed for lights Practice the 5 Keys of Defensive Driving 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Aim High in steering – look 15 seconds ahead Get the Big Picture Keep your eyes moving Make Sure Others SEE YOU ALWAYS leave yourself an out!

HOT = NUCLEAR SUMMER AFTER MILD WINTER – WE PAY NOW • • • Everyone tolerates HEAT differently Know your limits; don’t push it; acclimate When possible, plan work to avoid HOT afternoon or direct sun Gear up with sun resistant, light weight, open front shirt for cooling Cotton or engineered fabrics and blends are preferred over polyester Protect HEAD & NECK from direct sun; use cooling bandana

HURRICANE SEASON JUNE 1 THRU NOVEMBER 30 • Storms becoming more severe; wind; rain; destructive power – flash floods in steep terrain • OSHA requires businesses to have an Emergency Action Plan on the books • Stay away from windows; building interior is usually more protected • In a violent storm, a vehicle interior is actually pretty good ‘shelter in place’ option. • Stay away from trees - areas with potential for flying debris - i. e. , construction sites • FEMA has raised their max. wind resistance ratings to over 250 mph if that’s an indicator • Forecasting has improved - we will usually have advance notice on violent weather events

DIET & HYDRATION IMPORTANT YEAR ‘ROUND Hot weather = Skip the junk food Eat light in mid-day – post-lunch dip (fatigue) is accentuated by heavier food in mid-day Have proper breakfast & evening meal Hydrate – more than just drinking water. Seasonal fruits, veggies, melons, etc. more appropriate to hot temps Gator–Ade, Squincher – good to rehydrate – cut 50% with water

SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS Practice being PREDICTIVE of situations that could become problematic Learn to recognize RISKS of all types and AVOID or REDUCE with control measures OSHA Hierarchy of Controls = Engineering; Administrative; PPE – least desirable Applies in all situations, including DRIVING! Wear your High Visibility – bring it home and protect your family when near traffic