Navigating new truck driving regulations: how to keep your drivers compliant with the help of simulators

Staying up to date with new truck driving regulations can be difficult for both drivers and the company they work for. The best way to keep track of the latest updates to driving regulations is to regularly check sources such as:

• The Department of Transportation (DOT)
• The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
• The American Trucking Associations (ATA)

Potential new regulations to watch out for in the near future include updates to the FMCSA Safety System, including adjustments to safety categories and an increased focus on violations within the past 12 months. Additionally, FMCSA is considering implementing a proficiency exam for commercial drivers to ensure they are properly trained and knowledgeable about safety requirements.

For companies, one of the best ways to keep drivers compliant with regulations is to provide continuous training - even for experienced drivers. Keep reading to learn three ways a driving simulator can assist with keeping drivers compliant as regulations evolve. 

1. Break bad habits

Experienced drivers don’t need the same kind of training new drivers do - but they need truck driving safety skills and compliance training to ensure they’re following the latest regulations and correcting any bad habits they may have developed.

Experience can unintentionally build bad habits as drivers get more comfortable on the road. They may begin to cut corners because they know they can do so “safely” and save time. Soon, a one-time occurrence becomes a bad habit - and it’s a matter of time before an accident happens. 

Reinforce safe driving practices with a driver training solutions simulator

A driving simulator is perfect for training new drivers and refreshing experienced ones on safe driving practices. Driver Training Solutions’ driving simulators have a sliding scale of difficulty, allowing companies to train drivers of varying experience levels with the same simulator.

Our driving simulators also allow instructors to tailor their training to address each driver’s bad habits or weaknesses. They can do this by replaying scenarios the driver has completed and providing feedback on the driver’s performance. The driver can then repeat the training scenario until they have corrected their mistakes.

And when changing regulations call for increased vigilance in specific areas of road safety, instructors can focus training on those areas to ensure drivers are compliant.

2. Address problem areas after an accident

Accidents can happen no matter the driver's experience behind the wheel. When an accident occurs, the driver should be provided special training before returning to the road—whether the accident was the driver’s fault or not. 

Thanks to its custom scenario builder, a Driver Training Solutions truck driving simulator is a helpful training tool in this situation. Companies can create unique scenarios based on their needs, such as recreating the events that led up to an accident.

If the accident was the trucker’s fault, then the company can create scenarios, or even an entire course, to address the mistakes the driver made before the accident occurred.

If the accident wasn’t the driver's fault, scenarios can be created to hone the driver’s reactions in a similar situation. The better a driver can anticipate and react to other drivers’ behaviors, the safer everyone will be. 

3. Improve decision-making skills

Every trip - even an “easy” one - requires drivers to make thousands of decisions. When something unexpected happens, you want to feel secure that your drivers will make the right decision for the safety of everyone on the road.

Occasional training to hone a driver’s decision-making skills can be the difference between a small dent in your vehicle and a major collision.

Using a driving simulator, companies can use a vast library of built-in scenarios to put their drivers through various situations that require careful decision-making. For example, drivers may practice scenarios where they have to decide whether or not a snowy road is safe to drive on or which method to use to recover from a skid. 

Always keep drivers educated with driver training solutions

The best way to keep drivers’ skills sharp is to continuously train them, no matter their experience level. A Driver Training Solutions simulator makes this easy.

Through a vast library of built-in scenarios, difficulty scales and customization, one simulator can cater to the needs of an entire fleet - including educating the fleet on new truck driving regulations.

Request more information about our simulators today.