How to Prevent Flying Objects Inside Fleet Vehicles

UFOs aren’t just something science-fiction fans find in the sky at night. For fleets, these “unnecessary flying objects” occur when loose items inside a vehicle become dangerous projectiles during a hard stop or crash.

“Around here at Driving Dynamics, we refer to them as ‘UFOs,’ or unnecessary flying objects,” Art Liggio, president of Driving Dynamics, told Automotive Fleet. “Loose items present a serious risk to drivers. Each year, loose objects cause thousands of serious injuries.”

All it takes is a misplaced laptop, smartphone or water bottle to cause damage inside a vehicle. For fleet management and truck driver safety, it is important to identify these risks and take steps to prevent accidents and injuries.

According to Work Truck Magazine, overall fleet safety can be improved by better training methods, rewards and incentives for safe behavior or educational materials. If you find that this type of UFO is commonplace inside your fleet vehicles, then perhaps now is the right time to make some key changes.

Keep loose objects in mind
Automotive Fleet explained that few fleet managers consider the importance of loose objects inside vehicles when looking over fleet safety. Instead, you should keep UFOs in mind as you plan, so your drivers won’t face any additional risks during a crash.

“At 50 mph, a sudden stop caused by a crash will propel a loose, 16 ounce bottle of water and land a blow on a vehicle occupant with the equivalent force of a 21-pound object,” Liggio told the news source. “Imagine what a laptop could do to you? It would be painful at a minimum, or, even worse, a hit to the head could cause someone to blackout.”

You can help prevent this scenario by training your drivers on proper on-the-road safety behavior. Automotive Fleet recommended several tips, including:

• Storage – Tell your drivers to store heavy items in a safe place. Laptops should be in cases behind seats or in the trunk, for example.
• Vehicles – If you are in the market for new fleet vehicles, make sure the make and model are right for your drivers’ needs. For instance, purchase sedans that have ample trunk space for storage, so objects don’t have to be kept in the backseat.

Loose objects, or UFOs, aren’t on every fleet manager’s safety list. However, don’t overlook this aspect of risk management. A small change can make a big difference.