Are you noticing an increase in vehicle or driver fitness violations? Commercial drivers are responsible for conducting thorough pre-trip inspections and maintain their vehicles and credentials. However, drivers face tight deadlines and challenging environments, which can sometimes lead to safety being overlooked.
One effective solution is the implementation of vehicle safety blitz inspections. These coordinated, unannounced inspections by safety personnel ensure that vehicles leaving the yard are safe, properly equipped, and will not contribute to avoidable violations on your Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) and Inspection Selection System (ISS) scores.
Blitz inspections serve multiple purposes: they reinforce a strong safety culture among drivers, proactively reduce recurring violations, and foster positive engagement with drivers. During the inspections, operations can be observed and valuable tips and guidance are provided, especially to less experienced drivers.
Here are some key items to check during inspections:
- Driver: Ensure the commercial driver’s license (CDL) and medical card are valid and in possession, and that the driver is logged into the electronic logging device (ELD) correctly.
- Truck: Conduct a visual inspection under the hood for leaks or broken parts, check tire condition, lights, air and electrical lines, fire extinguishers, safety equipment, permits, documentation, and cleanliness.
- Trailer: Inspect tire condition, securement of the load, lights, trailer condition, and documentation.
Each inspection is designed to minimize disruption to the driver’s workday, typically taking about 10 minutes from start to finish. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiates 70% of roadside inspections based on observable defects or poor driving behavior, such as cell phone use or speeding. We refer to these as “low-hanging fruit” that can be easily addressed before hitting the road.
Brakes, lights, and tires (BLT) are the top three violations fleets encounter, significantly impacting your vehicle maintenance safety score. BLT violations often result in drivers being placed out of service until the defects are repaired or replaced. By inspecting these three critical areas during random fleet inspections, you can potentially prevent numerous points from accumulating.
Every fleet has unique vehicles, and Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA) can create a customized one-page inspection sheet tailored to your fleet to ensure maximum proactive measures are taken to help prevent rising CSA scores. If you do receive violations, it’s essential to investigate the accuracy of the report and challenge any invalid violations through the DataQ system. Maintaining a healthy ISS score is crucial to reducing the likelihood of an FMCSA audit or increased roadside inspections.
For further assistance with your fleet safety program, DataQ challenges, or CSA scores, please reach out to your MMA Safety Advisor.
