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INTRODUCTION
The following provides general guidelines and requirements for vehicle
safety. This section covers the following topics.
VEHICLE OPERATION
Introduction
Motor vehicle accidents
are the leading cause of death and crippling injury in the United
States. Traffic Safety laws are important components of Vehicle
Safety, but the most important aspect is the driver.
IMPORTANT: All TAMU-CC employees
and student employees who operate a vehicle on University business
(whether a university vehicle, rental vehicle, or personal vehicle)
must possess a valid state driver’s license for their vehicle
class.
Safe Driving
Practices
• Driver and passenger
are required to wear seat belts.
• Never Drink and Drive. Driving while under the influence
of alcohol and/or
drugs is strictly prohibited
• A driver shall not permit unauthorized persons to drive,
operate or ride in or on a university vehicle.
• Obey all traffic laws, signs and signals.
• Respond to dangerous driving conditions as appropriate.
• Maintain a safe distance between your car and any car in
front of you.
• Allow at least one car length for each 10mph (e.g. three
car lengths if you are driving 30mph)
• Keep your eyes moving to avoid fatigue, especially if you
plan on driving for a long period.
• Always use your turn signal to indicate your intended action.
• Leave yourself an “out” by either driving in
the lane with a shoulder, driving in the middle lane of a multi-lane
road, or following other vehicles at a safe distance.
Defensive
Driving
By taking defensive driving courses, employees can
promote driving safety and lower their insurance rates.
The principles of defensive driving include the following:
• Knowledge: Know your vehicle and
know the law.
• Control: Always maintain control of your vehicle. To improve
your control, perform routine vehicle maintenance and respond to
road conditions as appropriate.
• Attitude: Be willing to obey all laws and be willing to
yield to all other vehicles and pedestrians.
• Reaction: Respond to driving conditions appropriately. Do
not impede your reaction time by driving when tired or under the
influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Observation: Be aware of potential accidents and take preventive
measures. Always try to anticipate the actions of other drivers.
• Common Sense: Do not risk your safety to save time. Do not
respond to rude or obnoxious drivers by violating the traffic laws.
Accidents
Immediately report any
accidents or damage you incur while operating a vehicle on University
business. Each vehicle contains an emergency packet in the glove
compartment. Included in the packet are emergency phone numbers
for the Motor Pool and key Departmental employees, Texas Liability
Insurance Card, a local wrecker service 24 hour number and a Texas
A&M University System Accident Report.
When you have been in an accident, you must:
1. Keep calm
2. Provide medical assistance.
3. Make no statements concerning guilt, fault, or liability.
4. Never agree to make payments for the accident.
5. Notify the police.
6. Discuss the accident only with police officers or a university
official.
7. Record as much information as you can on all other parties to
the accident. This
information may include their name, their insurance company, drivers
license number, license plate state and number, make, model, and
year of vehicle, how accident happened, witnesses (with addresses
and phone numbers).
8. Report the accident to the University Police Department (361-825-4444)
and your immediate supervisor as soon as possible.
Pre-Trip Inspection
The following rules apply
to the condition of university vehicles:
-Windshields and windows shall be kept clear
of anything that may obstruct the vision of the driver.
-Brakes shall be tested by the driver at the start of each day.
The driver shall report all defects and they shall be adjusted or
repaired before the vehicle is put in operation.
-Lights and other signaling devices shall be inspected daily. If
found defective, they shall be repaired before the vehicle is placed
in operation. NO vehicle shall be operated at night unless equipped
with properly working headlights, taillights and other necessary
safety devices as required by law.
Transporting
Employees and Students
• Trucks, buses and other vehicles
used regularly for the transportation of employees and students
shall be constructed or accommodated for that purpose, and shall
be equipped with adequate seats properly secured in place, and shall
be protected on sides and ends to a height of 46 inches to prevent
falls from the vehicle.
• Motor vehicles used to transport
employees and students shall be kept in good repair, this includes
seat belts, lights, brakes, horn, mirrors, windshields, turn signals
and any other equipment affecting passenger safety.
• The number of employees or students
transported on vehicles covered by this section shall be limited
to prevent crowding, and shall never exceed a number, which may
endanger the safe handling of the vehicle or the safety of the passengers.
The passengers carrying capacity of trucks and buses regularly used
to transport employees shall be conspicuously marked on the outside
of the vehicle near the door or entrance.
• Every bus, conventional type or truck
type, used for the transportation of employees or students, every
compartment with an enclosed seating capacity of seven or more shall
be provided with an emergency exit remotely located from the normal
means of entrance.
University Haulage Vehicles
The following rules apply
to University haulage vehicles:
• Materials and equipment shall be
loaded so they will not cause a hazard by shifting.
• Heavy equipment and materials shall be securely fastened.
-Red flags during the day and red lights at night shall be attached
to equipment or material that extends more than four feet beyond
the back of the vehicle. Red flags or approved clearance lights
shall be attached to loads extending more than two feet beyond the
front of the vehicle.
-Tools, materials, or equipment shall not be permitted to extend
beyond the permanent fixtures provided in the sides of the truck.
• Trailers or equipment, while being towed, shall be securely
coupled to the truck, and the towing ball and towing hitch shall
be compatible. A vehicle with a 1 7/8” ball shall not tow
a trailer with a 2” connector. At a minimum safety chains
shall be 3/8” galvanized and wither shackled or securely hooked
to the towing vehicles bumper.
• Trucks shall not be operated with tailgate hanging or dangling.
• Vehicles will not be operated unless back-up signals are
in operating order.
• Parking, storing or repairing gasoline fueled vehicles,
motorcycles, mopeds or other similar devices shall not be allowed
in any dwelling unit, office, exit way or location that would create
a fire or life hazard.
On Campus Pedestrian
and Vehicle Safety
Texas A&M University-Corpus
Christi is committed to making on-campus travel as safe as possible-whether
it be as a pedestrian, in a personal or university motor vehicle,
or in an electric cart.
Personal Motor Vehicles
When traveling on-campus in
a motor vehicle, personal or university-owned, all faculty, staff,
students, and visitors are expected to observe all traffic and parking
signage. All traffic and parking regulations are in effect twenty-four
hours a day, seven days a week.
Speed Limits
The speed limit on campus
is 20 miles per hour, unless otherwise posted.
Leaving Vehicles On-Campus for Extended
Periods
Should faculty or staff need
to leave their personal vehicle parked on-campus for an extended
period of time (more than 24 hours), they should contact the University
Police Department.
On-Campus Travel
To protect the safety of pedestrians
and prevent damage to the campus sidewalks and other facilities,
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi has developed the following
regulations concerning non-motorized and motorized traffic on-campus.
Non-Motorized: Pedestrian Traffic
All pedestrians have the right of way.
Unauthorized vehicles are not allowed on
campus sidewalks. Authorization to use a vehicle on campus sidewalks
must be obtained from the University Police and appropriate building
contact persons. The rule applies to employees, vendors servicing
different offices on campus, and other individuals. Offices that
need to transport items to vehicles on a regular basis should purchase
dollies or contact Physical Plant to move items.
Except in emergency situations, no vehicles
are allowed within the spine or on sidewalks crossing the spine
areas. The spine refers to the interior walkways that extend from
the Center for the Sciences past the Library to Corpus Christi Hall.
See the campus map at the end of this section. Should a vehicle
need to travel on campus sidewalk, and authorization has been obtained
from the University Police, a “walking escort” must
accompany any vehicle entering a sidewalk between the hours of 7:00am
and 7:00pm. The person escorting the vehicle should walk approximately
10 feet in front of the vehicle and warn pedestrians of the on-coming
vehicle.
Measures will be taken to minimize traffic
by service vehicles along the spine of the campus. Especially on
the spine, pedestrians have the right of way. Service vehicles must
yield to pedestrians when on or crossing the spine. Service vehicles
will not exceed the speed of normal pedestrian traffic on the spine.
Drivers of service vehicles should access the buildings from designated
exterior routes and not along the spine. Measures to minimize traffic
by service vehicles may include the establishment of one-way traffic
patterns in designated areas and other actions deemed necessary
to promote sidewalk safety. Exceptions to the provisions concerning
service vehicles may be made for campus tours.
Skateboards, Roller Blades, Skates, Bicycles, Etc.
The safety concerns for others precludes
the use of skateboards on campus. However, operators of roller blades,
skates and bicycles may utilize the campus sidewalks while maintaining
a speed complimentary to pedestrians.
Electric cart operators are required to follow
the guidelines listed below when operating a cart:
- Employees suffering from illness or fatigue
will not be permitted to operate an electric cart.
- Operators under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances,
or any medications causing a drowsy effect will not be allowed to
operate an electric cart.
- designated service/parking drives for each building on campus.
- check tires, batteries, and lights on the cart and be sure they
are operating in good condition.
- check that the cart is in the proper switch position before starting.
- be familiar with the campus and prohibited areas of driving.
- know and follow passenger limitations on the cart he/she is operating
(e.g. passenger capacity).
- know hand signals for turns and stops.
- start cart slowly depressing the accelerator.
- bring cart to a complete stop before changing direction of travel.
- drive slowly when making turns.
- always allow pedestrians to have the right of way.
- do not leave the keys in an unattended cart.
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