Slow Down To Get Around

Slow down to get around garbage truck driver safety

With motorists rushing or distracted by their cell phones while driving, solid waste collection workers and vehicles need to be safety aware all the time on the route. In Wisconsin, a driver servicing a residential customer on a recent Saturday morning was struck by a car and pinned to his truck. The 21 year old motorist allegedly did not clear her window properly of snow and never saw the truck. The driver was pinned for nearly an hour, and almost died. He “only” lost his left leg and suffered other injuries. Fortunately, the driver is a former Marine and has two young children and a strong will to live.

Despite the proliferation of laws against distracted driving, solid waste collection workers continue to be struck by motorists with some frequency. The NSWMA Slow Down to Get Around program, which includes a short video, truck decals and customer communications, provides a way to emphasize this in the communities your company or municipality serve.

Making sure that all workers are always wearing high visibility apparel and minimizing double-sided collection also help reduce the risk of a struck by incident.

*blog courtesy of NSWMA