So many industries are reliant on trucking to keep them going, especially in this golden age of internet shopping, but driving a truck for a living can be tough, and at times, downright dangerous.
If you’re a truck driver, not only will you be spending a lot of time on the road, thus increasing your chances of being in an accident, but you’ll probably be expected to do lots of long, tiring shifts too! It is, then, important that you do everything you can to stay safe. Here are some tips for safer truck driving:
Look After Your Truck
First and foremost, you should take very good care of your truck and always carry out a thorough inspection of the vehicle before you hit the road. The more familiar you are with your truck, the easier it will be and the better condition your truck is in, the more difficult it will be for people to put the blame on you in the unlikely event that an accident does occur.
Casey Shomo Accident Lawyer will tell you that so many truck accidents are caused by faulty brakes, engine leaks and problems with lights that doing even the most basic of checks before you set off to deliver your load will go a long way to keeping you safe out there.
Drive Defensively
Statistics show that most accidents involving trucks are caused by vehicles approaching the truck’s blind spots rather than the trucks themselves. It does, then, make sense to drive defensively, doing whatever you possibly can to stop vehicles from entering those areas that aren’t adequately covered by your mirrors. If you can, installing a few extra mirrors on your truck will also help to eliminate this problem somewhat.
Plan Safer Routes
I know that trucking is all about delivering loads in a timely manner, but if you want to stay safe out there, it’s always worth looking carefully at all of your possible routes and making safer journeys a priority.
Don’t Overload
It’s also foolish to overload your truck in a bid to deliver more of your cargo more quickly. When a truck is overloaded, it is a lot harder to handle, and you run the very real risk of your truck overturning on a sharp bend, or coming loose completely, for example.
Slow Right Down on Curves
While we’re on the subject of sharp bends, as a truck driver, you should always slow right down when you’re approaching them. It might not make you the most popular person on the road, but it will help to keep you and other drivers safe. When approaching a sharp bend, you should slow down well in advance, so that you don’t end up with a tailgating problem that could also cause an accident.
Get Rid of Distractions
So many truck drivers get into crashes because they’re distracted by cell phones, stereos and even tablet computers! This is complete madness. Keep that stuff out of the cabin and keep your eyes on the road to stay safe.
