Stay on Top of the Road with These Truck Driver Safety Tips

Truck driving is among one of the most dangerous jobs out there. That’s why it’s vital for drivers to know the basics of driving safety. Today we’ll show you 5 fantastic truck driver safety tips that’ll keep you unharmed and untouched.

Driving a heavy-loaded truck can bring great consequences if you’re not careful. For this reason, truckers should know the basic guidelines that’ll make sure that they’ll remain safe and sound after a long ride. 

5 Truck Driver Safety Trips that All Truckers Must Know

Whether you’re a rookie trucker or a more experienced one, safety is a must. After all, truck drivers spend most of their day on the road! 

Of course, the danger that’s on the road depends on many factors, not only time-wise. Generally speaking, mountain driving is much more dangerous compared to other jobs, principally for new drivers. 

Additionally, areas such as big cities can be less risky compared to mountain driving. However, truckers must always pay attention to the road if they want to remain secure.

So, how do you stay safe while driving? All in all, if you’re on the truck industry, there are some safety tips for truck drivers that you must go along with.

Follow these truck driver safety tips to stay out of harm’s way:

• Respect semi-truck and large truck speed limits.
• Maintain a safe distance.
• Beware of fatal work zones and blind spots.
• Avoid bad weather to stay away from truck accidents.
• Make a pre-trip plan and check on the road conditions.

Respect Semi-Truck and Large Truck Speed Limits

Respecting speed limits is among the top safety guidelines for truck drivers out there. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, if a truck is going at high speeds, then it has greater chances of being in a crash. In fact, 30% of all truck accidents usually come from driving too fast. 

One common mistake that tends to happen is that truck drivers follow the speed limit signs that are on the road. However, most of these signs are meant for cars, instead of large trucks. Additionally, bear in mind that both semi trucks and large trucks count on different speed limits, depending on the state and the truck’s weight. 

Speed limits vary on roads and interstate highways. Down below, you can see Nevada’s speed limit regulations.

As stated before, these limits tend to vary in the area. For instance, Nevada allows trucks to travel at 65 mph in urban interstates. However, states like Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa only allow trucks to travel at 55 mph.

By complying with the speed limits, you’ll lower your chances of getting involved in an accident! Additionally, be sure to slow down during turns and curves as well.

Maintain a Safe Distance

Drivers must keep a safe distance between their trucks and other vehicles. For this reason, they must be aware of their truck’s “space cushion”. In other words, they need to know their truck’s height, weight, and overall space they have available to maneuver.

Also, drivers must refrain from overtaking vehicles. Although it may be tempting to do so, when drivers overtake vehicles, they’re exposed to all sorts of risks.

Beware of Fatal Work Zones and Blind Spots

Along with the lines of maintaining a safe distance, drivers must be extra careful when it comes to fatal work zones.

Work zones are quite common everywhere you go, from divided roads to level roadways. However, this doesn’t mean that because they’re common they’re not dangerous. These zones often come in with many risks, such as bumpy roads and abrupt stops.  

Work zone safety is among the top concerns of a truck driver. According to the US Department of Transportation, 30% out of all work zone accidents often have a large truck involved. Additionally, work zones usually allow it for there to be blind spots as well.

For this reason, truck drivers must pay close attention to all signs and signals. Also, it’s essential to not continue on at the normal driving speed until there’s a clear sign that you can do so. 

Avoid Bad Weather to Stay Away from Truck Accidents 

Truck drivers must be aware of what’s the weather forecast. Driving at bad weather can drastically increase the chances of inconveniences and misfortunes. By staying up-to-date with the weather, they’ll know what’s the best day and route to take.

As you may imagine, weather conditions can vary depending on the area you’re driving. For instance, drivers must beware of hail storms, strong winds, and freezing rain, since these climates can make it difficult to have control of the truck.

Other climate conditions you should beware of include:

• Fog
• Heavy snow
• Extreme cold weather
• Dust storms
• Intense heat
• Tornadoes

Luckily, truckers can nowadays keep updated with the weather conditions using just one app! In fact, some of these apps come already with any smartphone, including the Weather Channel and Accuweather. There are other weather apps that are totally free as well, such as Weather Underground and Storm Shield.

In case you’re not too keen on using these apps, then there’s always the option of listening to a good weather station on the radio. Below, you can check out the best radio stations to tune in when looking for a weather report.

Make a Pre-Trip Plan and Check on the Road Conditions

Lastly, but certainly not least, one of the top truck driver safety tips is to make a pre-trip plan before taking to the road. 

Start off by making a safety checkup of your truck. Be sure to inspect the truck’s brakes and tires. Make sure that it’s completely balanced. Also, you’ll want to verify if your truck has had an oil change recently. Moreover, you’ll want to verify your semi truck’s transmission type and if it’s one that you already have experience with.

After making sure that everything’s okay with the truck, outline the hours you’re going to be on the road. Beware that if you’re driving at night, you’ll need to consider that the driving needs to be extra cautious. Moreover, be sure to consider the number of breaks you’re going to need for the trip since you don’t want to overwork yourself and the truck

Finally, you’ll want to check the road conditions of your journey. That way, you can take another route that’s safer and more effective for you.