Backing crashes are the still the most common in the business.

A recent survey of drivers and consignees conducted over a four-month period concluded that backing incidents occur four times more often at customer locations than at shipping facilities.

Tips for customers:
• Review your facility regularly to identify impediments to safe backing such as disposal dumpsters, docks or walls and clearance related problems caused by low hanging tree limbs, low eaves, roofs or wires.
• Keep the area free of parked vehicles by making sure your employees park in designated areas.
• Whenever possible, and if backing in off the street is unavoidable, provide spotters for the delivery driver.
• Try to schedule delivery times so as to avoid peak traffic hours and shift changes.

Tips for drivers:
• Get out and look. We know our drivers are the safest in the industry, but don’t forget to get out of the truck to assess a delivery site for any potential issues.
• Ask for help. If you see an unsafe backing situation or potential problem, ask for assistance. Do you need another set of eyes to help you navigate or someone to hold traffic? Do you need people to move cars to accommodate the size of the truck? It’s perfectly acceptable to respectfully ask for assistance to ensure that shipments are made safely.
• Talk to us. If you had to deliver to a location that was unsafe, let us know so that we can help remedy the situation. Remember to include the
o Load number
o Whether the unsafe location is the shipper or consignee
o Brief description
o Pictures if possible, Google Earth is also a good resource