For most areas of the country, fall brings cooler weather, and with it comes Halloween! This time of year brings up many safety concerns for delivery drivers including the transition from summer to winter for most, and for others, the increased need for alertness in warm weather climates seeing an influx of tourists. In addition, Halloween is a holiday that is meant to be scary, but we want you to leave the spooking to the ghosts and goblins.
A National Safety Council (NSC) research study showed children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year. October ranks No. 2 in motor vehicle deaths by month, with 3,550. (August ranks No. 1, with 3,642 deaths.)
Halloween Driving Tips to Remember
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- Watch for children walking on roadways, medians, and curbs. Pay special attention when entering residential areas.
- Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully. Make sure to look both ways.
- At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing.
Everyone in the restaurant delivery business is aware that time of delivery is critical to their bottom line. Speed of delivery is the biggest variable in customer satisfaction, with an average of 60 percent of consumers across markets citing it as a key factor. The optimal wait time is no more than 60 minutes. However, safety is still the number one concern.
Additional Fall Driving Tips to Consider
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- Don’t brake on leaves. Wet leaves can be slippery, so avoid hard braking and watch for leaf buildup near lane lines and other road markers.
- During fall, many cities see increased rainfall, so use your rain smarts. Be sure to maintain a safe distance from cars in front of you when roads are wet as you may be at a higher risk of hydroplaning.
- Watch out for deer. Autumn marks the beginning of deer breeding season and they tend to be more active near roadways and during sunset and sunrise.
For our warm weather franchisees, don’t forget fall starts to bring the snowbirds from the cold weather climates to your sunny destinations! Tourists may not be familiar with your area, so local delivery drivers need to show more patience and display defensive driving techniques. Consider reviewing our “Safety Guidelines for Delivery Drivers” article again with your employees. This fall season, let’s turn cold into gold!
