Backing safety

Packing any vehicle is no easy task. The National Safety Council says one out of four vehicle accidents can be attributed to poor backing techniques. Research also shows that carelessness causes most backing accidents.

The challenges for safe backing are even greater for truck drivers. The larger the truck, the larger the invisible area behind it, even with rearview mirrors properly adjusted. Mirrors can never give the whole picture while backing. What's more, mirrors distort heights, widths and distances.

Backing is challenging and hazardous because a truck driver will see stationary objects in his mirrors prior to backing, but as the truck is maneuvered in reverse, objects may suddenly disappear or enter the driver's "blind spots" - those areas that rearview mirrors don't show.

Complicating safe backing are moving objects. No matter how careful a driver may be in checking behind his vehicle before backing, a moving object - such as a person or another vehicle may - also disappear from view or enter the truck's blind spots without being noticed.

Here are some procedures your drivers can take to greatly reduce the likelihood of having a...