{"id":6780,"date":"2020-08-01T17:24:09","date_gmt":"2020-08-01T15:24:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/?p=6780"},"modified":"2020-08-02T16:48:08","modified_gmt":"2020-08-02T14:48:08","slug":"safety-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/2020\/08\/01\/safety-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Maintaining a Clear Perspective: 5 Tips for Safety"},"content":{"rendered":"

Proper wiper system maintenance shouldn\u2019t be neglected. Research has shown that poor visibility is a significant contributor to many accidents. Photo: Valeriia Miller\u00a0from\u00a0Pexels<\/span><\/p>\n

Your drivers have probably all experienced that moment of panic while driving in traffic: clear day, dry roads, then suddenly a storm out of nowhere. The heavens open and it starts to rain. Hard. So hard, the windshield is overwhelmed by a wall of water, they are blinded, and panic sets in.<\/span><\/p>\n

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It\u2019s at times like these that windshield wipers become a driver\u2019s biggest ally. When they reach down to turn the wipers on, they expect them to clear all that water in a matter of seconds, all while praying they won\u2019t rear-end the vehicle ahead. Which is why well-maintained wipers are so critical to safety and could even impact your fleet safety record.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Importance of Wiper Reliability<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n

Wiper reliability is no accident. They\u2019ve been around as long as trucks first started plying highways over a hundred years ago. Today, they are considered a safety device which must meet FMVSS requirements which includes testing conditions defined in SAE J903 that confirms speed, coverage and reliability for each type of vehicle system design.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the years, there have been many refinements to make them more efficient – better blade material, larger coverage area, and even automatic sensing to engage automatically and adjust speed to rain\/spray volume.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, the most important component for reliability is the motor. If it fails or underperforms, all improvements to the rest of the system don\u2019t matter. Unfortunately, not all motors are the same. Due to the quantity of wiper motors on the market, they have become a commodity and many are built as cheaply as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ideally, motors and wiper systems are designed to suit the vehicle type. A well-designed system has the right gearing and motor rating to ensure it isn\u2019t overtaxed by the size of the wipers. If you are having a lot of early failures of motors or wiper components, it could be a result of a poorly defined solution. That\u2019s why our engineers spend a lot of time with vehicle manufacturers getting this specification right, and thoroughly testing it to FMVSS and SAE standards.<\/span><\/p>\n

But proper wiper system maintenance shouldn\u2019t be neglected. Research has shown that poor visibility is a significant contributor to many accidents. If one of your trucks was involved in an accident, your wiper maintenance records could be under scrutiny and you could be liable if wiper operation was a factor in the accident.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To ensure wiper reliability and reduce accident risk in wet and wintry driving conditions, here are five key things to focus on:<\/span><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Maintain a Regular Testing Protocol<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

When trucks visit the shop for regularly scheduled maintenance, ensure wipers are checked and tested. This should include an inspection of blades for cuts or damage and running the wipers at each speed. Replace any damaged components. Also ask drivers to proactively report any issues they have with wiper operation or poor visibility. If you have repeat problems with some systems, consider retrofitting with a more reliable wiper motor\/arm assembly suited to the vehicle and its windshield design.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Optimize Windshield Coverage<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

For best visibility, it\u2019s important to maximize the windshield area the wipers will cover. When wipers are initially specified, engineers consider a number of factors:<\/span><\/p>\n