For my first blog entry I'd like to share with you a recent article I wrote on how using behavioral assessments can assist carriers in preparing for CSA 2010 by helping them select drivers who are statistically less likely engage in unsafe behavior.

Take a good look... this graph can prepare you for
Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010
CSA 2010

Accidents cost all of us. As we look to reduce incidents of personal accidents and reduce down time which also drains productivity top companies are now using human analytics to study new methods of reducing the number of accidents by placing the right person in the right job at the right time. New legislation has created new awareness to this area. “Using the new Safety Measurement System (SMS), FMCSA continues to hold motor carriers responsible for the job performance of those who work for them. Therefore, motor carriers are held accountable for their drivers' errors” (CSA*2010 Just The Facts)

When CSA 2010 is implemented, Safety Measurement System (SMS) will replace the Safety Status (SafeStat) measurement system as FMCSA's tool to identify high-risk motor carriers requiring interventions in order to improve safety on the Nation. SMS will assess each carrier's safety performance in each of the Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs).

"The BASICs represent behaviors that can lead to crashes."

With CSA 2010 placing an increased level of supervision and investigation on driver behavior carriers must focus on improving the safety records of their drivers. With the new SMS carriers will be evaluated on inspections and crashes associated with their own DOT number, so violations that a driver receives while working for a carrier apply to that carrier's SMS evaluation. Therefore, all driver crashes and inspection results while a driver is employed by a carrier will apply to the carrier's SMS evaluation for 24 months form the date of occurrence, even if the driver is subsequently terminated.

(Above info and quotes from CSA2010 FAQ)

So what's the solution?

Validated Behavioral Assessments

Companies who utilize a validated behavioral assessment tool can drastically reduce their likelihood of a violation by selecting and retaining drivers who are less likely to engage in unsafe behavior.

The Predictive Index (PI) is just such a tool. The PI is a free choice survey used to predict how someone will respond to their environment. The PI measures people on 4 main factors, Dominance(A), Social Extroversion(B), Patients(C) and Detail or Formality(D), along with a reading on decision making style and capacity to absorb stress. With millions of surveys completed the PI is one the most validated Behavioral Assessment tools available today.

The Predictive Index was developed and validated in compliance with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Guidelines, as well as the professional standards established by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Society of Industrial & Organizational Psychology (SIOP)

Predictive Index has amassed an extensive library of over 400 criterion-related job validity studies covering multiple jobs, industries and countries which document the instrument's validity and usefulness in the business world. Safety is a large area where personality has been studied and now is being aligned with reducing costs.

In 2007 a PI case study was conducted on a major Canadian carrier. A strong connection between specific PI factors and safe driving was discovered. Safer drivers statistically have:

• Wider C > A spreads. (More patient, stable, deliberate, consistent, dependable and steady)
• Higher C's. (More patient, clam, steady and consistent)
• Wider D > A spreads. (More risk-avoidant, accurate, careful, precise and conscientious)
• Wider C > B spreads. (More reserved, quiet, serious and introspective)

Note: All PI findings statistically significant at p<.05 and PI-safe driving connections remain consistent over time, when “average” incident rates for each driver are examined from 2004-2007.

By combining a validated assessment tool with case studies such as the above example, carriers can predict on the job safety performance before making a hiring decision. By using the findings from validation studies driver behavior becomes predicable and safety violations can be significantly reduced.