Avoiding complacency?

Yes, complacancy is a problem. Just because you start to do something doesn't mean you should power through and see what happens. One reason I hate to watch drivers take corners super-extra wide is because they need to know and internalize the minimum amount of space hey need to make turns. By going around corners in a wide smartphone user-friendly way they are wasting their experience. Professionally, it's like being in suspended animation. If they drive like that for 5-50 years they will show no improvement in skill over that time. Keep looking for a way to physically or mentally improve daily.

 

I left my almost 20 year job because I had problems with complacency, bad attitude, and some close calls. If I had kept better informed about current pay outside of my fishbowl I would have left sooner. Perfection is a goal, not an achievement. Learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others. Don't just wait for the problems to just fall on you. Actively avoid them, even if someone accuses you of being too careful.

 

Sometimes a pay cut is the best reminder.

Why people have safety bonuses in company trucking. I've always been in the minority of my colleagues that way if you screw up a call ...like say you call a three pointer a two in basketball and give a rolling sign.... You weren't in position and not doing your job properly.
So you should get like a 10% fee cut for that game.

That never went over well but it is the way it should be imo. It'll get the bad officials ##### in gear to attend a camp.... exercise .....or whatever in the off-season to get better.

 

Read once that the most common experience years for accidents is at the 4-5 year point. You’re right in there. Reason they said is exactly as you described, complacency.

 

Complacency comes in all forms.
I think the reason for so many accidents these days is the so called “Safety” features on the new trucks.
Lane departure, cruise systems etc. A lot of newer drivers rely on them instead of common sense and skill.

 

When they try and make it as easy as driving a 4 wheeler bad #### happens

 

Laidlaw used to preach that to us also. I personally don't think it's all to do with years of driving but more of a combination of things that add up to a lot of things on drivers minds other than the act of driving. Family,wife,kids, scheduling, truck maintenance and a million other things etc

 

Think the best example of this is when we're driving on the freeways specially when conditions suddenly change, heavy rain, or snow, how many drivers actually slow down for the conditions, or best one going down a very steep grade on a mountain how many drivers put the truck in a low gear? This often happens when we think it won't happen to me.

 

I'm always amazed at the driver who don't slow down until it's almost too late. Following the 'Smith Method' of aim high in steering, I can usually notice the cluster of applied brakes from ~ a mile away and take my foot off the accelerator. Some drivers, though, wait until their 300' away and apply full brakes. These same drivers then wonder why their maintenance costs are so high.