Safety For Truckers: 7 Tips To Stay Safe On The Road
A career on the road comes with some unique challenges, and trucking can be a dangerous job.
With some proper safety precautions, you can help to keep yourself and other motorists safe while you’re working, reducing the risk of accidents.
- Always wear your seatbelt. It might seem basic, but it’s important to remember. It’s not only illegal not to wear one while driving, but it can put you at greater risk of being killed if you are involved in an accident. Always buckle up.
- Don’t use your phone while you’re driving. Cell phone use when you’re behind the wheel is illegal in a lot of places. Even in places where it is legal, try not to use your phone at the same time as driving. Texting, looking for your music or looking at social media notifications are all very distracting and can easily lead to an accident. If you need to make phone calls while you drive, invest in a hands-free set.
- Pay attention to the speed limit. Speed limits are put in place for a reason. Always obey the speed limit, especially if there is a different speed limit for trucks. This keeps you and other road users much safer than speeding.
- Be aware of your alcohol limits. You don’t need to be told not to drink and drive, but don’t forget that alcohol you drank the night before can still impact your driving the next day. If you drank heavily, you may well still be over the legal limit, reducing your reaction times and making you a danger to yourself and others. Restrict the amount you drink the night before work so you’re not accidentally over the limit. This is because you may have to face various charges if you met with an accident and are found drinking over the limit. In such cases, seeking legal help from a DUI attorney can be your best option. You can go here and learn why.
- Plan your trip. If you know where you’re going, you can get properly prepared for a trip. Check your route before you go so you’re aware of any difficult roads or poor road conditions that you may need to navigate. Check the weather forecast, so you know if you’re in for poor weather while you drive. If you know, you can plan in advance for any changes to your route you might need to make, or any adjustments made to timing to avoid the worst of the weather.
- Give other road users plenty of space. Remember you’re driving a large, heavy vehicle. Make sure you stay aware of just how tall, wide and long your truck is, so you can give other drivers enough space to drive safely alongside you. Make sure not to create dangerous situations by cutting off other vehicles because you’ve forgotten to allow enough room for your truck.
- Slow down for the turns. Most trucks have a pretty wide turning circle, and it can be easy to accidentally not give yourself enough space to safely make a turn. Slow down and take it easily, so you can get around with getting stuck or causing a collision.
Remember, if you have had an accident, you should contact a truck accident attorney to help you.
