Truck drivers are expected to drive long hours on the road. The number of hours that they are required to spend on the road is making their job one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. These are enough reasons for them to face the risk of fatal accidents during these trips. Although it is not possible to avoid all sorts of risks, there are safe driving tips that drivers could apply in order to boost their safety on the road.
Keep the vehicle in proper condition
One of the most important things before even entering the truck is making sure everything works properly. Most importantly, the brakes should be tested to make sure they are working well. Truckers must also ensure their trucks are in proper condition before getting on the road due to bad weather or any other conditions that could bring about possible accidents.
Another important tool that ensures safety on the road is a camera. For fleet managers to ensure drivers’ safety on the road, a fleet management camera is used for monitoring the vehicles and providing managers with footage of drivers’ actions behind the wheel or inside the cab. This will help them monitor whether truck drivers follow traffic rules and abide by any company policies regarding speeding and using mobile phones while driving. With this, they can identify any violations that might have happened while the truck was on the road.
Keep a clear head and get some rest
During driving, truckers should always keep a clear mind and concentrate on driving without any distractions like using mobile phones or other devices while behind the wheel. If they need to make calls or use GPS navigation, they should pull over at rest stops first before making these phone calls and checking maps. Truckers must also ensure they do not have too many things going through their minds as this could distract them from the road.
Truck drivers should also try to get enough rest before they set out on long drives especially when it comes late at night. They must also ensure that they have a healthy and balanced diet while behind the wheel, preferably a low-fat diet. By doing this, truckers could keep themselves alert throughout long hours of driving without getting exhausted or tired easily which would help them remain safe from road accidents.
Don’t drive at night during bad weather
When there are rain clouds in the sky, drivers should avoid driving at night. This is because it would be very difficult to see clearly through stormy conditions during nighttime when visibility is reduced and could cause accidents to occur. Drivers would also be able to easily slip on wet roads when it’s raining or just after it has rained. Also, people could not anticipate vehicles veering off the road when it’s slippery due to wet surfaces which could increase risks of skidding or spinning out of control. The jagged edges on the road would also be more difficult to see at night, making it riskier yet drivers are required to drive ahead in order to reach their destinations, especially during bad weather conditions.
Wear seat belts at all times
Truck drivers must always put on their seat belts when they get inside the cab of their fleet vehicle at all times, even during short trips. They should also wear the right protective gear like helmets and boots in order to stay safe while in the cargo area or when there are problems with the truck’s brakes or tires that could happen anytime while they’re on the road. Having these safety measures would make them less vulnerable to fatal accidents when things go wrong behind the wheel especially when experiencing heavy traffic conditions.
Properly load and unload cargo
Weigh stations are placed across highways and state borders where truck drivers must stop by in order for weighmasters to weigh cargo and check whether these meet set standard limits for weight and length. Truck drivers should make sure that they are always abiding by laws regarding loaded cargo weight and size to avoid accidents on the road. This can be done by checking out weight limits for each state before setting out on a trip. If they need to take a rest break, they must pull over at designated areas where the rig could be properly parked.
Keep your distance
Truck drivers must increase their distance with other vehicles on the road, especially big rigs as these are more difficult to maneuver compared with smaller cars or trucks. They should not tailgate other bigger vehicles but instead try to keep some distance between them and other cars on the road which will prevent rear-end collisions from happening during emergency braking situations. The distance between two cars should be at least 3 seconds or as it is sometimes said, the length of a football field.
Being a truck driver is one of the most dangerous jobs while behind the wheel. The risk of fatal crashes and accidents is high for these fleet drivers who spend most of their days on the road. However, keeping themselves safe from road accidents like rear-end collisions can be done by following some of these safety tips that would keep them stay focused and alert on the road.
