High Risk Driving Behaviors: What They Are and How to Prevent Them

With millions of trucks traveling billions of miles each year, even a single unsafe action on the road can have devastating consequences. For fleet operators, safety directly impacts everything from accident rates and insurance premiums to driver retention and operational efficiency. And in a competitive industry where every mile and minute counts, preventable incidents are a cost no fleet can afford.

At the core of most serious crashes are high risk driving behaviors — actions behind the wheel that significantly increase the likelihood of a collision, inspection, or violation. These behaviors can be subtle, habitual, or situational, but their impact is consistently harmful. In a fleet environment, they not only endanger drivers and other road users but can also damage your brand, disrupt operations, and inflate compliance scores.

High risk driving behaviors include things like speeding, tailgating, distracted driving, unsafe lane changes, and ignoring in-cab alerts. While many fleets invest heavily in training, these behaviors often occur in real time — in moments of stress, fatigue, or distraction — making them difficult to fully prevent through training alone.

This article explores the most common high risk driving behaviors in commercial trucking, the risks they pose to fleets, and how to proactively prevent them using technology, coaching, and culture-driven strategies.

What Are High Risk Driving Behaviors?

High risk driving behaviors are actions or habits behind the wheel that significantly elevate the chances of a crash, inspection, or safety violation. These behaviors are typically aggressive, inattentive, or non-compliant in nature — and while they may not always result in an immediate incident, they create conditions where accidents are far more likely to occur.

In the context of commercial trucking, where vehicles are larger, heavier, and harder to maneuver than passenger cars, the margin for error is much smaller. A single high risk behavior can turn into a catastrophic event in seconds. For fleets, recognizing and addressing these behaviors is essential for protecting drivers, reducing liability, and improving operational outcomes.

Common High Risk Driving Behaviors in Trucking

1. Speeding

Speeding is one of the most frequent contributors to truck-related crashes. While it’s dangerous in any context, speeding becomes especially risky in:

• Sharp curves where rollover potential is high
• Work zones where reduced speed limits and lane changes create hazards
• Adverse weather conditions like rain, snow, or fog, which reduce traction and visibility

Even a few miles per hour over the limit can drastically increase stopping distances — a critical consideration for 80,000-pound vehicles.

2. Tailgating

Following too closely to the vehicle ahead limits a driver’s ability to react to sudden stops or changes in traffic. In a commercial vehicle, the increased stopping distance required makes tailgating particularly dangerous. It also signals aggressive driving — often a red flag for enforcement and a major factor in rear-end collisions.

3. Hard Braking and Aggressive Acceleration

Frequent hard braking, rapid acceleration, or jerky maneuvering are signs of reactive, high-stress driving. These behaviors:

• Indicate a lack of situational awareness or poor route planning
• Lead to faster wear and tear on equipment
• Are often tied to risky driving environments like urban areas or congestion zones

Telematics data often flags these behaviors as precursors to near-miss events or sudden collisions.

4. Distracted Driving

Anything that takes a driver’s eyes, hands, or focus off the road is a major risk. In trucking, distractions commonly include:

• Mobile phone use (texting, apps, navigation input)
• Eating or drinking while driving
• Adjusting in-cab electronics without stopping

Despite regulations banning handheld phone use, distracted driving remains a leading cause of crashes across all fleet sizes.

5. Drowsy or Fatigued Driving

Long hours, inconsistent sleep, and demanding schedules all contribute to fatigue — which can impair judgment and reaction time as severely as alcohol. Signs of drowsy driving include drifting out of lanes, difficulty maintaining speed, and slow response to hazards. It’s a silent but deadly contributor to crashes, especially during overnight or extended shifts.

6. Failure to Signal or Unsafe Lane Changes

Improper lane changes without signaling or checking blind spots are frequent causes of sideswipe accidents. Large vehicles have significant blind zones, and failing to properly communicate intentions puts nearby motorists at risk. These behaviors often stem from impatience or lack of awareness in congested traffic.

7. Ignoring In-Cab Safety Alerts

Modern safety systems — like Drivewyze Safety+ — provide drivers with real-time alerts about upcoming hazards, speed changes, and high-risk zones. Ignoring these alerts not only defeats the purpose of the system, but also signals deeper issues like alert fatigue, disengagement, or poor training. When alerts go unheeded, so do the early warnings that could prevent crashes.

Why Traditional Safety Training Isn’t Enough

Most fleets understand the value of driver training — it’s foundational. But in today’s high-pressure, fast-moving transportation environment, traditional training alone can’t fully prevent high risk driving behaviors. The reality is that knowledge doesn’t always translate to action in the moments that matter most.

A. Training vs. Real-Time Decision-Making Gaps

Driver education typically happens in the classroom, during onboarding, or through periodic safety refreshers. While valuable, this type of training can’t account for the unpredictable nature of real-world driving. On the road, drivers are constantly forced to make split-second decisions — in high-traffic areas, hazardous weather, or unfamiliar routes. In those moments, even well-trained professionals can fall back on habit, fatigue, or instinct.

The gap between what a driver knows and what they do under pressure is where risk emerges.

B. The Limitations of Signage, Manuals, and One-Time Coaching

Many fleets rely on static safety tools — things like posted speed limits, highway signage, policy handbooks, or one-on-one coaching sessions. While these tools are necessary, they’re limited in scope and timeliness.

• Road signs can be missed or misread, especially in complex or congested zones.
• Manuals and safety policies are forgotten if they’re not reinforced regularly.
• Coaching sessions, while valuable, happen after the fact — once a pattern of behavior has already formed or a violation has occurred.

Without reinforcement at the point of decision, these traditional tools struggle to influence behavior in real time.

C. The Need for Continuous, Proactive Safety Support

To truly reduce high risk driving behaviors, fleets must go beyond reactive training models. The key is real-time, proactive safety support — tools that intervene before an incident happens. This is where technology becomes a game-changer.

Solutions like Drivewyze Safety+ offer:

• In-cab alerts that notify drivers of upcoming curves, work zones, congestion, and high-risk areas — precisely when they need to adjust.
• Customizable alerts based on fleet-specific crash data or known problem spots.
• Coaching insights based on actual behavior, helping managers provide targeted feedback and support.

With continuous reinforcement through real-time guidance, drivers are empowered to make safer decisions in the moment — and build better habits over time.

How to Prevent High Risk Driving Behaviors

Preventing high risk driving behaviors requires a shift from reactive policies to proactive, system-wide strategies. It’s not just about correcting unsafe habits — it’s about creating an environment where safety is built into every mile. Here’s how modern fleets can effectively reduce risk and empower drivers to make safer choices:

A. Build a Proactive Safety Culture

Set Expectations — and Reinforce Them Through Leadership

Safety starts at the top. When leadership consistently communicates that safe driving is non-negotiable — not just for compliance, but as a core company value — it sets the tone across the entire organization. From dispatchers to driver managers, everyone should speak the same safety-first language. Policies must be clear, consistent, and visibly supported by leadership in both messaging and decision-making.

Recognize and Reward Safe Driving Habits

Positive reinforcement goes a long way. Fleets that highlight and reward safe behavior — whether through bonuses, recognition programs, or simple acknowledgment — are more likely to see sustained improvements. When drivers know their efforts are valued, they’re more motivated to uphold high standards behind the wheel.

B. Use Real-Time Safety Technology

The Role of Drivewyze Safety+

Technology is a critical enabler of safer driving. Drivewyze Safety+ gives fleets the ability to intervene at the exact moment risk emerges — with real-time, location-based alerts delivered directly through the driver’s ELD or in-cab display. These alerts help drivers anticipate and avoid hazards that static signs and pre-trip training might miss.

Custom Alerts for High-Risk Zones

Fleets can create custom safety alerts for:

• Dangerous curves
• Congestion-prone corridors
• Past crash sites
• Known speeding zones
• Fleet-specific problem areas

This flexibility allows fleets to tailor safety programs to their routes, drivers, and operational priorities — all without disrupting the driver’s workflow.

Driver-Friendly Delivery & Telematics Integration

Drivewyze Safety+ works with a fleet’s existing telematics platforms and ELDs, ensuring seamless deployment and minimal learning curve. Alerts are brief, timely, and non-disruptive — designed to inform, not overwhelm. Drivers retain control, but with enhanced situational awareness that builds trust, not resistance.

C. Monitor and Coach Effectively

Use Data to Identify Risky Patterns

Modern telematics platforms provide a goldmine of data — from speed spikes and hard braking to lane deviation and sudden stops. By tracking these events over time, fleet managers can spot behavioral trends and identify drivers who may need additional support or intervention.

Deliver Timely, Constructive Feedback

Effective coaching doesn’t shame — it supports. Instead of waiting for quarterly reviews or accident investigations, give drivers feedback while events are still fresh. Use real examples to explain what happened, why it matters, and how it can be prevented next time. The key is making the conversation about growth, not punishment.

Automate High-Risk Event Reporting

Drivewyze Safety+ can automate the reporting of high-risk behaviors like hard braking or speeding in known danger zones. This helps managers prioritize who needs coaching and creates an objective, data-driven foundation for conversations — reducing guesswork and bias.

D. Support Driver Wellness

Tackle Fatigue with Smart Scheduling

Even the safest driver can become a risk when exhausted. Fleets should monitor hours of service carefully, avoid stacking long-haul trips without sufficient rest, and build in recovery time after night runs. Wellness starts with smart planning.

Encourage Breaks and Mental Alertness

Drivers shouldn’t feel pressured to “push through” fatigue or stress. Reinforce the importance of breaks — not just for legal compliance, but for long-term health and performance. Provide resources that help drivers recognize early signs of burnout or reduced focus.

Help with Parking Access (Drivewyze Central Park)

One major source of stress and fatigue is the inability to find safe, legal parking. Drivewyze Central Park gives drivers real-time visibility into parking availability across major corridors, reducing the temptation to drive drowsy or park unsafely. It’s a simple but powerful way to support driver well-being and reduce fatigue-related incidents.

The Role of Drivewyze in Mitigating Risk

Preventing high risk driving behaviors isn’t just about identifying problems — it’s about equipping fleets with the tools to actively reduce risk in real time. That’s where Drivewyze plays a transformative role. Through an ecosystem of connected safety and compliance solutions, Drivewyze helps fleets shift from reactive management to proactive risk mitigation.

Here’s how Drivewyze’s core offerings support safer operations, fewer violations, and a stronger driver experience:

Drivewyze Safety+

Real-time alerts. Contextual coaching. Smarter decisions.

Drivewyze Safety+ delivers location-based, in-cab alerts that warn drivers of high-risk areas before they reach them. From sharp curves and work zones to congestion zones and steep grades, alerts are timed to maximize awareness and reaction time.

Key risk-reducing benefits:

• Helps drivers avoid speeding or sudden maneuvers in danger zones
• Reinforces safe driving habits in the moment, not just after an incident
• Offers coaching insights for fleet managers based on actual driver behavior
• Supports custom alerts tailored to fleet-specific risk areas

By bridging the gap between training and real-world decision-making, Safety+ empowers drivers to stay alert and confident — while giving fleets the data they need to guide safer performance over time.

Drivewyze PreClear

Bypass opportunities that reward safe driving.

Drivewyze PreClear is the industry’s largest weigh station bypass service, covering over 900 sites across 47 states and provinces. It helps fleets avoid unnecessary delays by offering bypass opportunities to trucks with strong safety records and compliance histories.

How it reduces risk:

• Minimizes the number of times drivers must pull into high-congestion weigh stations — where slowdowns, stops, and on-site inspections increase stress and accident exposure
• Reduces driver frustration and encourages CSA compliance to maintain bypass eligibility
• Helps fleets lower inspection-triggering behaviors like last-minute braking or sudden lane changes before a scale

PreClear reinforces a cycle of positive behavior: safer driving leads to fewer inspections, which leads to faster trips and higher morale.

Drivewyze e-Inspection

Digitized inspections for faster, safer enforcement.

Drivewyze e-Inspection modernizes the inspection process by enabling electronic inspections at the scale — reducing manual paperwork, streamlining communication, and limiting roadside disruptions.

Risk mitigation advantages:

• Less time on the roadside = reduced exposure to secondary accidents
• Fewer delays = better trip planning and reduced schedule pressure
• Smoother interactions with enforcement = lower stress for drivers and better cooperation

For fleets that value both efficiency and driver experience, e-Inspection offers a frictionless way to maintain compliance without compromising productivity.

Real-World Impact

When fleets implement Drivewyze solutions together, the results are tangible:

• Fewer incidents due to early hazard alerts and smarter driving decisions
• Reduced violations from improved compliance and fewer inspection triggers
• Improved morale as drivers experience less stress, fewer slowdowns, and more support from their fleet

This ecosystem approach to safety — combining real-time data, automation, and behavior reinforcement — is what sets Drivewyze apart. It’s not just about tools. It’s about creating a safer, more predictable driving environment for every fleet and every driver.

Ready to Proactively Tackle High-risk Driving Behaviors Across Your Fleet?

Empower your drivers with Drivewyze Safety+, the innovative in-cab alert system that delivers timely hazard notifications when drivers need them most. Integrated directly into your existing ELDs and telematics platforms, Drivewyze Safety+ helps your team anticipate risks, avoid collisions, and reinforce safe driving habits in real time.

Leverage Drivewyze PreClear and e-Inspection to further streamline compliance, reduce unnecessary stops at weigh stations, and create less stressful driving conditions—helping your fleet reduce incidents and enhance driver retention along every mile.

Schedule your personalized demo and discover how Drivewyze can help your fleet achieve safer operations, smarter road interactions, and a stronger culture of proactive safety.