Whether you use a truck for an employer or your business, you want each time on the roads to be as safe as possible.
That said are you doing all you can to make sure each time out on the roads is safe?
Unlike cars, trucks of all different sizes tend to be heavier. They will also oftentimes need more breaking room to come to a stop. There are also many blind spots, meaning other road users may not be visible to the driver. This is usually how crashes occur, so it’s important to have insurance to cover against this. These Lorry Insurance FAQs Answered may be useful to you if you run a trucking company and you want to get up to date on how insurance works. Accidents are almost inevitable, so whilst you can drive as safely as humanly possible, it still pays to be insured!
So, are you trucking with safe driving?
Always Make Safety a Top Priority
So that your experiences have a low percentage of accidents, remember these pointers:
1. Right equipment – Be sure your truck has the proper equipment in it to get the job done in a safe manner. As an example, have you looked at tarp covers for trucks? Such covers will help keep your payload secure. This is important if you are traveling at a fair amount of speed or you happen to be out on the roads in windy weather. The last thing you want to have happen is seeing one or more items in the bed of the truck flying out of there. Not only could you be damaging or even losing products, but it becomes a road hazard. Given the speed involved, a flying object from the truck could cause an accident for others.
2. Regular maintenance – Also keep an eye on your truck’s maintenance. Among some of the more important areas of concern would be tires and brakes. If you have under inflated tires or tires that have very little tread on them, they could blow at any given time. If that happens when you are traveling down the road, it can be a recipe for disaster. The same holds true if your brakes are not working in the proper manner. Don’t wait until the brakes are grinding with the rotors. By doing regular maintenance; lower the odds of breaking down and having an accident.
3. Rules of the road – You also have a responsibility to be a safe driver each time out. Don’t be that driver who leaves late for an appointment or delivery, only to try and make up time by speeding. Although going over the speed limit by a few miles is one thing, you do not want to abuse the rules day in and out. The same holds true when dealing with winter driving conditions. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination/s. Also do your best to avoid road rage. Depending on the size of your truck, you may want to use it in an offensive manner if one or more drivers get on your nerves. Since you may well need more room to brake, don’t become aggressive while driving.
4. Knowing your limits – Last, whether working for an employer or you, you have a job to do. Driving for hours on end can prove tiring for even the best of drivers. Make sure you do not overdo it. Stick to a schedule that you are comfortable with. In doing so, you are less of a threat to other drivers and passengers sharing the road with you.
In doing all you can to be a safe truck driver, will you make the grade?
