You’re standing in the back of a brown package car, it’s 95 degrees out, and you’re looking at a wall of cardboard that seems to defy the laws of physics. If you’ve ever worn the brown uniform or even just watched a driver navigate a tight suburban cul-de-sac, you’ve probably heard the jargon. UPS 5s and 10s. It sounds like a workout routine or maybe some weird betting terminology.
It isn't.
Actually, it’s the DNA of United Parcel Service. These are the 5 Seeing Habits and the 10 Point Commentary. They are the rigid, almost monastic rules of safety that every driver must memorize word-for-word before they’re even allowed to turn a key in a delivery truck. If you can't recite them, you don't drive. Period.
The Brutal Reality of the 5 Seeing Habits
Basically, the "5s" are the foundation of the Smith System, a driver safety program UPS adopted decades ago. Most people think they know how to drive. You stay in your lane, you don't hit the guy in front of you, and you hope for the best. UPS doesn't do "hope."
The first habit is Aim High In Steering. It’s not just about looking at the road. It’s about looking 8 to 12 seconds ahead. In a massive P1000 delivery van, that’s the difference between seeing a kid chase a ball and becoming a tragic local news headline. You’re looking for a safe path. You’re imagining the future.
Then you have Get The Big Picture. This is where most drivers fail. You aren't just looking at the car in front of you; you’re looking at the shadows under parked cars, the movement of pedestrians, and the light patterns three blocks up. You need a 360-degree bubble of awareness. It’s exhausting. It’s also why UPS drivers have some of the lowest accident rates in the logistics industry.
The 10 Point Commentary: More Than Just Words
If the 5s are the "what," the 10s are the "how."
📖 Related: GeoVax Labs Inc Stock: What Most People Get Wrong
Memory is a funny thing. At the UPS Integrad training facilities, recruits are expected to recite the 10 Point Commentary with zero mistakes. One "and" instead of a "the," and you’re starting over. Why the obsession? Because when a driver is tired, stressed, and running behind schedule on a rainy Tuesday in November, muscle memory takes over.
One of the most critical points is Clearing Intersections. You don't just look left and right. You look left, right, then left again. You check your mirrors. You make sure the guy coming toward you actually sees you. It sounds simple until you realize how many people treat red lights as suggestions.
Another big one? Following Distance. UPS teaches the "8 to 12 second" rule for speeds over 30 mph. Most commuters follow at about 1.5 seconds. When you’re hauling several tons of Amazon packages and heavy machinery, physics is your enemy. You need space. You need time to react when the person in front of you suddenly decides they need to turn into a Starbucks without signaling.
Why Does This Matter for Business?
Efficiency. It’s all about the money, honestly.
Accidents are expensive. Not just the insurance payouts or the vehicle repairs, but the downtime. When a truck is out of commission, packages don't move. When packages don't move, customers get angry. By drilling UPS 5s and 10s into every employee, the company creates a culture of predictability.
Think about "The Right Turn" rule. You’ve probably heard that UPS trucks almost never turn left. It’s mostly true. Left turns are dangerous. They involve crossing traffic. They waste fuel idling while waiting for a gap. By prioritizing right turns and following the 5s and 10s, UPS saves millions of gallons of fuel every year. It’s a masterclass in logistics disguised as a safety manual.
👉 See also: General Electric Stock Price Forecast: Why the New GE is a Different Beast
The Mental Toll of Memorization
I’ve talked to former drivers who can still recite these habits twenty years after they hung up the brown shirt. It’s a form of indoctrination, sure, but it’s practical.
The 10 Point Commentary includes things like Scanning Steering Wheels. It sounds paranoid. You look at every parked car you pass to see if there’s a head in the driver’s seat. If there is, you assume they are about to pull out or open their door right in your path. You look for exhaust. You look for turned wheels. You become a detective of the asphalt.
It’s about "expecting the unexpected," which is a cliché until you're behind the wheel of a vehicle that doesn't have a rearview mirror. You have to rely entirely on your side mirrors and your "big picture" awareness.
Surviving the Training
If you’re trying to get into UPS, the 5s and 10s are your biggest hurdle.
The 5 Seeing Habits (The Headers and the Summaries):
- Aim High In Steering: Find a safe path well ahead.
- Get The Big Picture: Stay back and see it all.
- Keep Your Eyes Moving: Scan, don't stare.
- Leave Yourself An Out: Have an escape route.
- Make Sure They See You: Use your horn, lights, and signals.
The 10 Point Commentary is a bit more granular. It covers everything from starting up at intersections to using your mirrors and maintaining a "stale" green light awareness. A stale green light is a light you didn't see turn green. You have to assume it’s about to turn red. You prepare to stop. You don't floor it.
✨ Don't miss: Fast Food Restaurants Logo: Why You Crave Burgers Based on a Color
Does it actually work?
Critics might say it’s overkill. In the age of AI-driven safety sensors and automatic braking, is memorizing a script really necessary?
Look at the data. UPS has over 10,000 drivers in their "Circle of Honor." These are people who have driven for 25 years or more without a single avoidable accident. That is statistically insane. Most people can't go 25 days without a close call or a fender bender.
The reason it works isn't the technology—though UPS uses plenty of that—it's the mindset. The 5s and 10s turn driving from a passive activity into an active discipline. You aren't just "driving to work." You are operating heavy machinery in a high-stakes environment.
Applying "The UPS Way" to Your Life
You don't have to drive a brown truck to use these.
Next time you're on the highway, try "Leaving Yourself An Out." Look at the cars around you. Is there an empty space to your left? Is the shoulder clear? If the guy in front of you loses a tire or drops a ladder off his truck, where are you going? Most people have nowhere to go but the back of the car in front of them.
UPS 5s and 10s are really just a framework for risk management. They teach you to acknowledge that you cannot control other people, but you can control your space, your speed, and your eyes.
Actionable Next Steps for Safety and Efficiency
If you’re a fleet manager, a delivery driver, or just someone who wants to not die on the 405, here is how you actually implement this stuff:
- Practice the 8-second rule. Pick a sign. When the car in front passes it, count. If you reach the sign before you hit eight, you are too close. Period.
- The "Eye Lead Time" drill. Try to look as far down the road as possible. Don't look at the bumper in front of you. Look at the horizon. You'll find your steering becomes much smoother and less jerky.
- Check your mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds. Don't just glance. Actually see what’s there. Is that motorcyclist still in your blind spot?
- The "Stale Green" habit. Whenever you approach a green light that you didn't see change, take your foot off the gas and hover it over the brake. It's called "covering the brake." It saves about half a second of reaction time, which is roughly 44 feet at 60 mph.
UPS 5s and 10s aren't just corporate busywork. They are the reason your packages actually show up instead of ending up in a ditch. It’s a grueling system to learn, but once it’s in your head, you never see the road the same way again.