A GUIDE TO DETERMINE ACCIDENT PREVENTABILITY

7.1 DEFENSIVE DRIVING

The National Safety Council's Safe Driver Award is designed to recognize expert safe driving
performance, not -just average performance. The Award is based on the concept of defensive
driving--the ability to avoid accidents in spite of the wrong actions of the other driver and in spite
of adverse driving conditions.

7.2 STANDARD OF PERFORMANCE

Accidents involve so many different factors that it is impossible to set hard and fast rules to
classify them preventable or non-preventable. Each member must make this determination. In
making these decisions, a member will answer the question "What standard of safe driving
performance do we expect of our drivers in this company?" If a company is lenient, it condones a
mediocre standard of safe driving performance. Drivers respect a strict interpretation of the rules
so long as the company takes the time and effort to insure that these interpretations are made
consistently and impartially. The following paragraphs are offered as a guide in determining the
preventability of accidents.

7.3 PERSONAL VEHICLES AND PERSONAL USE OF EMPLOYER VEHICLES

If an employee operates his own vehicle on official company business, accidents sustained by him
must be adjudged according to these rules. Accidents involving drivers operating their own
vehicles during off-duty hours shall not be charged against the Safe Driver Award.
Reimbursement mileage should be a guide to determine this factor.

Accidents involving company owned vehicles permanently assigned to employees for business and
personal use when operated by the company employee, whether for company business or not,
shall be charged against the Safe Driver Award.

7.4 ACCIDENTS INVOLVING MORE THAN ONE COMPANY DRIVER

When two or more vehicles of a fleet enrolled in the Safe Driver Award program are involved in
the same accident, each driver may be charged with a preventable accident regardless of which
one was primarily responsible for the occurrence. Although two or more employees may be
riding on the same vehicle, a preventable accident will be charged only against the person
operating the vehicle.

7.5 WITNESS STATEMENTS

Statements of exoneration are generally based on legal responsibility without respect to the
definition of preventability used in these Safe Driver Award Rules. Consequently, a careful study
must be made of all conditions to determine how the employee in question contributed to the
situation by acts of omission or commission.

Unless thorough investigation indicates that employee in question could not have avoided
involvement, by reasonable defensive driving practice, the following types of accidents will be
regarded as PREVENTABLE.

7.6 INTERSECTIONS

It is the responsibility of professional drivers to approach, enter and cross intersections prepared
to avoid accidents that might occur through the action of other drivers. Complex traffic
movement, blind intersections, or failure of the "other driver" to conform to law or traffic control
devices will not automatically discharge an accident as "not preventable." Intersection accidents
are preventable even though the professional driver has not violated traffic regulations. His failure
to take precautionary measures prior to entering the intersection are factors to be studied in
making a decision. When a professional driver crosses intersection and the obvious actions of the
"other driver" indicated possible involvement either by reason of his excess speed, crossing his
lane in turning, or coming from behind a blind spot, the decision based on such entrapment should
be PREVENTABLE.

7.7 BACKING

Practically all-backing accidents are preventable. A driver is not relieved of his responsibility to
back safely when a guide is involved in the maneuver. A guide cannot control the movement of
the vehicle; therefore, a driver must check all clearances for himself

7.8 FRONT-END COLLISIONS

Regardless of the abrupt or unexpected stop of the vehicle ahead, your driver can prevent front-
end collisions by maintaining a safe following distance at all times. This includes being prepared
for possible obstructions on the highway, either in plain view or hidden by the crest of a hill or the
curve of a roadway. Overdriving headlights at night is a common cause of front-end collisions.
Night speed should not be greater than that which will permit the vehicle to come to a stop within
the forward distance illuminated by the vehicle's headlights.

7.9 REAR-END COLLISIONS

Investigation often discloses that drivers risk being struck from behind by failing to maintain a
margin of safety in his own following distance. Rear-end collisions preceded by a roll-back, an
abrupt stop at a grade crossing, when a traffic signal changes, or when your driver fails to signal a
turn at an intersection, should be charged PREVENTABLE. Failure to signal intentions or to
slow down gradually should be considered PREVENTABLE.

7.10 PASSING

Failure to pass safely indicates faulty judgment and the possible failure to consider one or more of
the important factors a driver must observe before attempting the maneuver. Unusual actions of
the driver being passed or of oncoming traffic might appear to exonerate a driver involved in a
passing accident; however, the entire passing maneuver is voluntary and the driver's responsibility.

7.11 BEING PASSED

Sideswipes and cut-offs involving a professional driver while he is being passed are preventable
when he falls to yield to the passing vehicle by slowing down or moving to the right where
possible.

7.12 LANE ENCROACHMENT

A safe driver is rarely a victim of entrapment by another driver when changing lanes. Similarly,
entrapment in mergingtraffic is an indication of unwillingness to yield to other vehicles or to wait
for a break in traffic. Blind spots are not valid excuses for lane encroachment accidents. Drivers
must make extra allowances to protect themselves in areas of limited sight distances.

Squeeze plays causing involvement with parked cars, pillars, and other structures, can be
prevented by dropping back when it is apparent that the other driver is forcing the issue or
contesting a common portion of the road.

7.13 GRADE CROSSINGS

Collisions with fixed rail vehicles, such as trains, streetcars, etc., occurring at grade crossings, in
traffic, in a rail yard, switch area, or on private property are the responsibilities of the professional
driver to prevent. When a vehicle is parked across a rail siding, the driver must first determine if
it is safe and permissible and, furthermore, must stand by in case conditions change by the
movement of rail cars during the parking interval.

7.14 OPPOSING VEHICLES

It is extremely important to check the action of the company driver when involved in a head-on or
sideswipe accident with a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction. Exact location of
vehicles, prior to and at the point of impact, must be carefully verified. Even though an opposing
vehicle enters your drivers' traffic lane, it may be possible for your driver to avoid the collision.
For example, if the opposing vehicle was in a passing maneuver and your driver failed to slow
down, stop, or move to the right to allow the vehicle to re-enter his own lane, he has failed to
take action to prevent the occurrence. Failing to signal the opposing driver by flickering the
headlights or sounding the horn should also be taken into account.

7.15 TURNING

Turning movements, like passing maneuvers, require the most exacting care by a professional
driver. "Squeeze plays" at the left or right turns involving other vehicles, scooters, bicycles, or
pedestrians are the responsibility of the driver making the turn. Failure to signal, to properly
position the vehicle for the turn, to check the rearview mirrors, to check pedestrian lanes, or to
take precautionary action from tip-offs from the other vehicle immediately preceding the incident.
U-turns by your driver that result in a collision are PREVENTABLE.

7.16 PASSENGER ACCIDENTS

Passenger accidents in any type of vehicle are preventable when they are caused by faulty
operation of the vehicle. Even though the incident did not involve a collision of the vehicle, it
must be considered preventable when your driver stops, turns, or accelerates abruptly.
Emergency action by the company driver to avoid a collision that results in passenger injury
should be checked to determine if proper driving prior to the emergency would have eliminated
the need for the evasive maneuver.

7.17 PEDESTRIANS

Traffic regulations and court decisions generally favor the pedestrian hit by a moving vehicle. An
unusual route of a pedestrian at mid-block or from between parked vehicles does not necessarily
relieve a driver from taking precautions to prevent such accidents. Whether speed limits are
posted or the area is placarded with warning signs, speed too fast for conditions may be involved.
School zones, shopping areas, residential streets, and other areas with special pedestrian traffic
must be traveled at reduced speeds equal to the particular situation. Bicycles, motor scooters and
similar equipment are generally operated by young and inexperienced operators. The driver who
fails to reduce his speed when this type of equipment is operated within his sigh-distance has
failed to take the necessary precautions to prevent an accident. Keeping within posted speed
limits is not taking the proper precaution when unusual conditions call for voluntary reduction of
speed.

7.18 WEATHER

Adverse weather conditions are not a valid excuse for being involved in an accident. Rain, snow,
fog, sleet, or icy pavement have never caused an accident. These conditions merely increase the
hazards of driving. Failure to adjust driving to the prevailing weather conditions, or to "call it a
day" when necessary, should be cause for deciding an accident preventable. Failure to use safety
devices such as skid chains, sanders, etc., provided by the company, should be cause for a
preventable decision when it is reasonable to expect the driver to use such devices.

7.19 ALLEYS, DRIVEWAYS, AND PLANT ENTRANCES

Accidents involving traffic originating from alleys, driveways, plant entrances, and other special
interesting locations should be carefully analyzed to determine what measures the professional
driver might have taken to avoid the occurrence. Failure to slow down, sound a warning or to
yield to the other driver, can be considered cause to judge such an accident preventable.

7.20 FIXED OBJECTS

Collisions with fixed objects are preventable. They usually involve failure to check or properly
judge clearances. New routes, strange delivery points, resurfaced pavements under viaducts,
inclined entrances to docks, marquees projecting over traveled section of road, and similar
situations are not, in themselves, valid reasons for excusing a driver from being involved. He
must be constantly on the lookout for such conditions and make the necessary allowances.

7.21 PRIVATE PROPERTY

When a driver is expected to make deliveries at unusual locations, construction sites, etc., or on
driveways not built to support heavy commercial vehicles, it is his responsibility to discuss the
operation with the proper authorities and to obtain permission prior to entering the area.

7.22 PARKING

Unconventional parking locations, including double parking, parking, failure to put out warning
devices, etc. generally constitute evidence for judging an accident preventable.
Rollaway accidents from a parked position normally should be classified preventable. This
includes unauthorized entry into an unlocked and unattended vehicle, failure to properly block
wheels or to turn wheels toward the curb to prevent vehicle movement.

7.23 MECHANICAL FAILURE

Any accident caused by mechanical failure that reasonably could have been detected by the driver,
but went unheeded should be judged preventable. It is the driver's responsibility to report unsafe
vehicle conditions for repairs and to immediate repairs where continued operation might result in
an accident. When mechanical difficulties occur unexpectedly during a trip, and a driver upon
discovery, fails to check with his company for emergency instructions prior to an accident, the
accident is preventable.

An accident caused by mechanical failure that results from abusive driving should be considered
preventable.

7.24 NON-COLLISION

Many accidents, such as overturning, jack-knifing, or running off the road, may result from
emergency action by the driver to preclude being involved in a collision. Examination of his
driving procedure prior to the incident may reveal speed too fast for conditions, or other factors.
The company driver's actions prior to involvement should be examined for possible errors or lack
of defensive driving practice.