Each year, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is referred to as the "100 Deadliest Days of Driving."
Increased traffic volume, summer travel, road construction, vacations, and more drivers on the road create conditions that contribute to a rise in crashes across the country.
While much of the attention surrounding the 100 Deadliest Days focuses on teenage drivers, the reality is that every driver faces increased risk during the summer months. For pest management companies, where technicians spend much of their workday behind the wheel, this seasonal increase in roadway hazards presents an important opportunity to reinforce safe driving behaviors.
Driving is often the most dangerous task a pest control professional performs each day. The good news is that many of the factors contributing to summer crashes can be addressed through awareness, preparation, and consistent coaching.
Why Summer Driving Requires Extra Attention
Summer creates unique challenges for service professionals. Roads are busier with vacation travelers, families heading to recreational activities, and drivers who may be unfamiliar with local traffic patterns. Road construction projects often peak during warmer months, leading to lane shifts, detours, and unexpected traffic congestion.
For pest management technicians, these conditions can increase pressure to stay on schedule while navigating unfamiliar routes, responding to customer requests, and managing a full day of appointments.
That combination of distractions, time pressure, and heavier traffic creates risk.
Focus on What You Can Control
While technicians cannot control traffic conditions, they can control their driving behaviors.
One of the most effective ways to reduce crash risk is to create more space between your vehicle and others on the road. Encourage technicians to maintain a safe following distance and increase that distance during heavy traffic, poor weather, or construction zones.
Speed management is equally important. Even small increases in speed reduce reaction time and increase crash severity. Reinforce the importance of driving at speeds appropriate for traffic and road conditions rather than simply trying to make up lost time between appointments.
Most importantly, eliminate distractions.
Mobile phones remain one of the leading causes of preventable vehicle incidents. Whether reading messages, checking navigation, responding to customers, or making calls, distractions take attention away from the roadway.
Companies should reinforce hands-free policies and utilize distraction prevention technology whenever possible to help technicians stay focused behind the wheel.
Build Summer Driving Topics into Safety Meetings
The 100 Deadliest Days provide an excellent opportunity to revisit driver safety training.
Consider incorporating the following topics into team safety meetings and ride-alongs:
- Defensive driving techniques
- Safe following distances
- Work zone and construction zone awareness
- Distracted driving prevention
- Fatigue recognition and management
- Vehicle inspection procedures
- Backing and parking safety
- Heat stress and hydration awareness
Short, recurring discussions throughout the summer often have a greater impact than a single annual training session.
Managers should also encourage technicians to share recent driving challenges they have encountered on their routes. These conversations create valuable peer-to-peer learning opportunities and help keep safety top of mind.
Don't Overlook Vehicle Readiness
Safe driving starts before a technician leaves the branch.
Routine vehicle inspections can help identify issues before they become roadside emergencies. Tires, brakes, lights, mirrors, windshield wipers, and fluid levels should all be checked regularly.
Summer heat can place additional strain on vehicles, increasing the likelihood of tire failures and mechanical issues. A well-maintained fleet helps reduce downtime while supporting safer operations.
Create a Culture of Coaching, Not Punishment
The most successful driver safety programs focus on coaching rather than discipline.
When managers review vehicle incidents, near misses, or telematics data, the goal should be helping employees improve rather than simply identifying mistakes. Positive reinforcement for safe driving behaviors can be just as effective as addressing risky ones.
Technicians who understand that safety discussions are designed to support them are often more receptive to feedback and more willing to report concerns or near misses.
Safety Is Good Business
Every preventable crash carries costs that extend beyond vehicle repairs. Accidents can impact employees, customers, company reputation, productivity, insurance costs, and overall profitability.
Reducing driving risk protects people first, but it also strengthens the business.
The 100 Deadliest Days serve as an annual reminder that safe driving requires constant attention. By reinforcing defensive driving habits, reducing distractions, maintaining vehicles, and creating a culture of continuous coaching, pest management companies can help their teams navigate the summer safely.
The goal isn't simply to survive the 100 Deadliest Days. It's to build driving habits that keep technicians, customers, and everyone sharing the road safer all year long.
PestSure – Your Partner in Safety
Founded in 1980 and representing approximately $2 billion in annual revenue, 11,500 service vehicles and more than $600 million in payroll, PestSure is the only insurance and risk management provider exclusively dedicated to the pest management industry. Through industry-specific insurance programs, safety resources, training, and risk management expertise, PestSure helps pest management companies protect their employees, strengthen their operations, and reduce risk on and off the road.