How Serious Are Rolling Stops for Fleet Vehicles?

When you roll a stop, you roll the dice. It’s just the name of the game.

And a majority of us do it. How do we know? Well according to The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) over 96% of the critical reasons for intersection-related crashes were attributed to drivers.

What may seem like the slightest movement that won’t have a big effect as you roll on through, is in-fact, the opposite. This illegal slow move can have a big effect on road safety. In fact, the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) says that 50% of collisions occur at or near intersections.

In this article we will explain what a rolling stop is and tips to help fleet drivers come to a complete stop.

What is a Rolling Stop?

U.S.Legal defines a rolling stop as “when a vehicle fails to come to a complete stop. In a rolling stop, the car wheels are still in motion and the car is moving at less than 5 m.p.h.” Why is a rolling stop illegal? Failing to do so, is a violation of traffic laws.

Laws around failing to complete a full stop vary by state, and rolling stops are taken seriously. Drivers today roll through a stop sign and assume stop signs act as yield signs, or red lights are okay to roll. Depending on the state, you can get a ticket up to $500 or points on your license. What’s even worse? Injuring someone.

Fleets with a driver safety solution in place, can easily see what drivers need improvement in order to avoid a stop sign violation, and coach them on how to get better.

Risks of Rolling Stops

The law is enforced for a reason. So when violating a traffic law, it naturally comes with risks. And anyone who has a drivers license has been trained to come to a complete stop. So why run a stop sign?

Reasons (which we will get to below) include being in a hurry, being distracted, impatient, etc. The list goes on. The point is to understand why rolling through a stop sign and red light is so dangerous. Here are some risks we’ve identified:

Collisions

Other drivers are expecting you to obey the law. So when you don’t come to a complete stop, you are risk to cause an accident, big or small. It’s an avoidable incident. That’s why there are red light and stop sign violation laws, to protect the safety of all motorists.

Costly

Rolling stops is more than causing accidents, its also very expensive. Each state laws very, but they can go all the way up to $250. Your insurance premium most likely increases and impacts your financials. Contacting accident attorneys only makes sense.

Traffic School

Did you know a rolling stop traffic citation gets your one point on your record? Luckily you can complete traffic school or defensive driving course to get it removed. As a driver, it’s crucial to have a clean driving record in order to keep working. So, drivers you must stop at stop signs and red lights.

Hurting Pedestrians

Other vehicles are not the only thing drivers need to pay attention to when on the road. Pedestrians, cyclists, construction workers are present too. Being a proactive, defensive driver and paying attention to your surroundings, whether it is on a busy or quiet road, is critical.

Rear-ending

A lot of rear-ending occurs when the driver is unaware that their vehicle is still moving. This happens because of distractions or a simple misjudgment. Either way, it’s crucial to pay attention to your surroundings to avoid accidents, injuries, and claims.

Reasons for Rolling Stops

Distractions

Distractions can be classified as any activity that changes attention, in this case from defensively driving to focus on a different activity. And distractions are a huge reason for rolling stops. In fact, according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 5.7% of intersection-related crashes were attributed to internal distractions.

And distractions come in many different forms: cognitive, visual and manual. Each play an important role in preventing distractions in the first place. And this behavior poses danger to the road. So it’s important to follow steps to avoid distractions in the first place.

Fatigue

Feeling tired or drowsy? It’s probably a good time to pull over. Fatigued drivers are more likely to get in an accident than present and alert drivers. In fact, drowsy driving is the cause behind 5,000 deaths in 2015. When you are tired, you aren’t going to perform your best. So get adequate rest, pull over or don’t drive.

Deadlines

Drivers have deadlines to meet, and sometimes it can be difficult to maintain a tight schedule. Things happen, so it’s important to be prepared every time you drive. Make sure to maintain your vehicle so you don’t run into any maintenance issues. Don’t rush (which causes speeding) because you are behind, it will only make it worse. Communicate any deadline difficulties with your manager. That’s better than a collision!

Bad Habits

Bad habits are consistently tied to poor driving performance, including rolling stops. It’s difficult to break a habit, so it’s crucial to know how to combat them. Bad habits like texting while driving, speeding, tailgating, rubbernecking, etc. all contribute to what not to do while driving.

Technology and Rolling Stops

To help mitigate risk from rolling stops, technology comes in. Implementing a driver safety solution like NetradyneDriveri, can significantly improve driving habits, like rolling stops. Because Driveri captures 100% of driving time, it’s able to see the entire driving picture, identify risk and areas of improvement.

With internal and external HD cameras, Driveri recognizes when a driver has or has not come to a complete stop. The system’s advanced technology allows for clear detection of all stop signs, traffic lights, license places, and more, so nothing is missed. And with real-time in cab alerts, the system notifies drivers where to improve, and gives them the opportunity to quickly change their behavior.

Driveri uses computer vision, allowing  the device to essentially have “eyes” that sees and makes sense of the environment, which is driving the large majority of risk detected. It’s identifying the risk way before there’s a near miss or collision. This provides a much fuller picture of risk identified in a trip.

The best part is the system also recognizes the positive behavior, and rewards drivers. If a driver consistently makes a complete stop, this will add points to their GreenZone score and reward them with a DriverStar. This system encourages drivers to keep up the good work, and also lets management know who their best drivers are. Say goodbye to rolling stops and hello to positive behavior!

Final Thoughts

Rolling stops are more common and dangerous that people might perceive them to be. And we are here to call it out. Remember it’s important to understand the risks and utilize the tips to combat this illegal driving behavior.

To see how powerful Driveri is in identifying rolling stops and other risky behaviors, schedule a call with us. Or read The Top Elements of a Driver Safety Solution to learn more.

FAQ

1. What percentage of intersection-related crashes are controlled by at least one stop sign?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), out of approximately 787,236 intersection-related crashes studied, it was found that around 31% of these intersections were governed by at least one stop sign.

2. What percentage of traffic fatalities and injuries are attributed to intersections?
   Intersections are far more perilous than many people realize, as highlighted by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. Specifically, a not insignificant portion of traffic fatalities, constituting about one-quarter of all such incidents, can be directly attributed to intersections. Additionally, intersections play a significant role in causing approximately half of all traffic injuries reported. These alarming statistics underscore the dangers inherent in navigating through intersections and the need for increased awareness and caution while approaching and traversing these crucial points on the road.