Regular training, testing and education in the commercial transport industry is key to keeping everyone safe on SA’s roads

Opinion Piece: Regular training, testing and education is key to keeping everyone safe on SA’s road... 

By Rhys Evans, Director at ALCO-Safe

According to Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi, there were 235 accident related deaths on South African roads over the 2017 Easter holidays, a staggering 51% increase on 2016’s 156. Despite these figures being lower than those of 2015, the ongoing trend of high fatalities on South Africa roads over festive periods seems set to remain a problem. 

In spite of these dramatic figures, road users are generally aware of the perils of driving during peak accident season. Campaigns highlighting the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and speeding, typically abound over these times, and concerned family and friends are often heard doling out advice about driving safely and watching out for drunk drivers. 

On top of this, people are usually very aware of the increased police presence on the roads at this time, and tend to be more cautious to avoid road blocks, fines and even jail time.

But what about after the festive period?

This ‘consciousness’ often abates soon after the festivities and holidays, and drivers are lulled into a false sense of security about the roads. Drink driving, in particular, is perceived as less risky due – in part – to reduced police presence as well as a misconception of the roads being “safer”. 

Professional drivers are no less susceptible to this way of thinking and transport and logistics companies often find themselves coming under fire when their drivers are involved in reckless driving incidents – particularly when substance abuse is involved.

Boredom, tiredness and loneliness the main culprits

Drivers who operate vehicles for trucking, transport and logistics companies are often considered the worst culprits for the cause of traffic incidents; there is certainly no shortage of shock stories of tragic accidents involving trucks and buses in the news, at any time of the year. 

Commercial drivers typically drive cross country, often covering great distances at all hours, including at the dead of night. Boredom, solitude and exhaustion are just some of the troubles that they are plagued with and, sadly, many turn to the likes of alcohol and drugs to combat them. 

Alcohol provides an opportunity to alleviate boredom and loneliness, and certain drugs such as methamphetamines are considered stimulants, and are taken to fight tiredness – especially common for drivers who pull double shifts. 
What many drivers don’t realise, however, is the negative impact of these substances in both the short term and long term.

A lack of knowledge and testing

Stopping for a drink or two at a truck stop is usually not seen as particularly harmful, especially if the driver intends on spending the night and resuming his/her journey in the morning. However, not many drivers are cognisant of the effects of their drinking, even long after the last drop has been consumed. 

There is a general ignorance around how much alcohol can be “safely” consumed so that there is no effect the next morning, and there is also limited knowledge about things such as what the alcohol content of a single beverage is, or how long it will take to clear the system. 

Further compounding the dangers, we are finding that there are many cases where commercial drivers are drinking even on short stops, and sometimes even while operating their vehicles. Driving under the influence of alcohol can lead to impaired vision, poor response times, hampered distance perception, poor decision making, reckless driving and behaviour, feelings of invincibility, and overall negligent driving. It is for this reason, and the fact that commercial drivers transport valuable goods and even people, that the limit for commercial drivers is far lower than that for private drivers, at 0.1%. 

Drug use is another ongoing concern in the commercial vehicle sector, with tiredness and lack of sleep being a key driver for the uptake of illegal substances. Methamphetamine is a particular favourite, given its stimulating ability to “wake a person up” and sharpen their response times. 

However, drivers who take such substances often end up with addictions, as they become dependent on the drugs to keep them awake, and turn to yet more substances to counter the effects and bring on sleep when needed. As they become more addicted, they build up a higher tolerance to the effects of the drugs and they take higher amounts, perpetuating the cycle of abuse. 

In order for alcohol and drug abuse to reduce in commercial transport and logistics industries, companies need to turn to creative ways to curb abuse within their businesses. Even from a purely business sense view, this will in turn help to bolster their productivity, and reduce expenditure on replacing damaged vehicles, training new staff and spending money countering the poor publicity that occurs as a result of an accident on their time.

What can commercial transport companies do?

The best course of action would be for legislation to exist around alcohol and drug abuse for commercial transport and logistics industries, and for it to be enforced, as it is with mining and engineering sectors. But, while drinking and driving, and taking drugs, is considered illegal, there is very little enforcement taking place beyond what the traffic departments are capable of doing. 

Transport companies are not submitted to random audits to confirm adherence to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, nor are they under obligation to conduct alcohol testing on site. So, many turn a blind eye to the problem and allow their drivers to continue doing their jobs despite alcohol and substance abuse. 

It is imperative, however, that these organisations begin putting plans in place to curb alcohol and drug abuse within their businesses in order to maintain their reputation in the market and contribute to reducing the number of death tolls on our roads. This can be achieved through frequent, preferably daily, testing for alcohol and drugs, backed by a solid educational and support program. 

There are many tests available in the market today that will serve the purpose, including breathalyser and saliva tests that can be done to check alcohol limits before a driver operates a vehicle, and again on arrival at their destination. Moreover, there are products that provide effective testing in-transit as well, meaning that drivers aren’t able to take advantage of the time between two points to drink while stopping with enough time to test negative on arrival at their end point.

Products such as the Lion DS-25 Vehicle Interlock allow drivers to only start the vehicle once they test negative for alcohol or drugs, and can be fitted easily into any vehicle. There are also automated cabinet systems that only release a driver’s keys to them once they pass a breathalyser test, and these can be fitted at all weigh points for regular checks.

Creating alcohol and drug free roads

However, testing is only one component of an effective alcohol and drug abuse prevention program. Organisations can already minimise the risk of alcohol and drug abuse merely by educating their staff on the real effects of alcohol and drugs. These programs need to be targeted, interactive and interesting, though, and should not be a lecture on the ill effects of alcohol. 

Proper, interesting campaigns, supported with educational pamphlets which contain useful tips on how much a person can safely drink before operating a vehicle, or how long it takes for a drink to leave their bloodstream, are the keys to a successful program – and to unlocking driver potential, reducing motor vehicle accidents and improving overall profitability for any transport company. 

Editorial contacts
ALCO-Safe Rhys Evans Managing Director
Tel: 012 343 8114
Email: rhys@alcosafe.co.za

Evolution PR
Tamsyn Woolley
Tel: 011 462 0628
Email: tamsyn@evolutionpr.co.za