As a trucker, you will come across multiple safety hazards, and without knowing how to handle them properly, you may cause a horrible accident. Some high school graduates think that trucking is just a simple driving job, not much too it. That is not true at all. Truck drivers have to be very skilled to drive safely on busy roads and get shipments where they need to go in the proper amount of time; if you aren't careful, you won't know how to handle a truck the right way.
If you are searching for ways to ensure your safety, you've come to the right place. Here are some of the essential safety tips you should use before driving on the road.
#1 Be Aware of Your Surroundings
You might see many cars swerving or getting out of their lane due to the loss of attention. Although that is very dangerous, there are worse things on the road. Some of which include a truck doing the same thing. While cars can cause a lot of damage when getting into a wreck with this sort of situation, it is more common for deaths to be caused if a truck gets into the same one. You should always watch where you are driving at all times in your vehicle and double-check when switching lanes because your blind spot will be a lot harder to watch when you are sitting in the back of a big truck. Even if you need to miss your exit to avoid a collision, do it! It is not worth risking someone's life even though some people aren't respectful of passing trucks. It's better to be the peacemaker and take another driver's crap than to be responsible for a broken bone or even someone's death.
#2 Always Have Truck Tools Available
There's always the slight chance that you will need to pull over due to a mechanical problem. You don't know if this will happen in the snow, rain, or dark, which is why you should always be prepared. You don't want to be stuck freezing in the snow, waiting for someone to show up and help you. This is also why you need to make sure your phone is fully charged on the drive in case of an emergency that involves 911.
#3 Be Prepared
You might think this is the same as the last one, where we talked about having truck tools available, but in this case, I am talking specifically about driving on the road. Meaning you need to know when you will need to turn ahead of time so that you can be in the right lane when you need to turn. You have no idea how frustrating it can be when someone won't let you get over when you turn on the next intersection or even get off an exit. Get in the lane you need to be ahead of time, so this doesn't become an issue.
#4 Stay in touch with your supervisor
Always ask questions and know what situations you will come up with when you are dropping off a load and what routes you should take. If you stay in touch with your supervisor, they can ensure you get your shipments where they need to be at the time they are required and that you use the correct routes so that you don't end up stuck pulling into a street you can't even fit through.
#5 Get Sleep the Night Before
I know it sucks having your life be on the road 24/7 without a second to spare for everyday activities. But, it's very dangerous to drive on the streets without a few breaks between and at least 8 hours of sleep in between shifts. Fatigued driving has affected so many drivers out there and has lost the world some amazing children, fathers, and mothers. Do your best to stay aware so that no one loses a family member due to your failure to rest.
#5 Follow Our Governments Recommendations
The United States Department of Transportation put together some requirements for anyone wanting to drive on the roads as a truck driver. There are nine in total, and I highly suggest you read every single one of them. Some of them include defense, signaling for safety, knowing when to slow down, and so much more.
