Truck Driver Security 101: Ideas for the Highway

Operation Protected Driver Week takes place yearly to create consciousness round protected driving habits for each passenger and industrial motorists. In honor of Operation Protected Driver Week happening July 9-15, 2023, the workforce at Drive My Approach compiled this checklist of important ideas for truck driver security from pre-trip planning to post-trip inspections.   

In the case of defending your self on the highway, there are a number of components to contemplate earlier than you allow, when you are touring, and when you attain your vacation spot.  

Previous to Hitting the Highway  

Truck driver security begins earlier than you even flip your rig on and get out on the highway. By following the following tips earlier than you allow, you may assist set your self up for a profitable haul.  

1. Prioritize Your Well being: No matter what occurs on the highway, you may be higher ready to deal with no matter comes your manner by guaranteeing you get sufficient relaxation previous to leaving. By taking excellent care of your self, consuming a nutritious diet, and exercising recurrently, you may be bodily and mentally prepared to your subsequent journey. 
2. Have a Sport Plan: It is very important take time earlier than your journey to plan your route, verify climate forecasts and highway circumstances, make be aware of any areas with building or low bridges, and plan for any alternate routes ought to antagonistic circumstances happen. In case you are touring a route that’s identified to have excessive winds for instance, you will need to keep in mind to remain near the shoulder and scale back your velocity. Additionally it is vital to know when to attend out poor circumstances relatively than pushing via and placing your self and others in peril. Now can also be the time to ensure your rig is updated for upkeep, and you’ve got an emergency equipment on board.
3. Create a Snug Setting: Irrespective of the gap, you need to be sure to are comfy for the journey. We advocate having good music/podcast to take heed to, loads of water and wholesome snacks, and making changes to your seat to make sure you are as comfy as potential. Mapping out areas to your breaks will even enable you to keep on observe and keep away from being behind the wheel for too lengthy without delay. 

Truck Driver Security on the Highway  

After getting begun your journey, there are a number of methods to make sure that your drive is as nice as potential, with few problems.  

1. Pay Consideration to the Little Issues: Whereas there are primary practices that each trucker is aware of just like the again of their hand, additionally it is an excellent reminder to concentrate to the routine behaviors corresponding to doing all your pre-trip inspection, carrying your seatbelt, turning headlights on at applicable instances of day, utilizing flip indicators, and checking your mirrors. A few of them objects appear so routine that they might get missed, particularly if you’re feeling fatigue, however they’re one thing cops are heightened to checking throughout Operation Protected Driver Week, and through summer season journey on the whole, so it all the time good to be take be aware.Rookie drivers are particularly prone to a lot of these errors, so whether or not you might be mentoring a brand new driver, or working a workforce driving job, it’s all the time useful to remind your companion. The Federal Motor Service Security Administration (FMCSA) has a number of ideas like these to assist truckers keep protected on the highway.
2. Keep Alert: It’s important to remain alert throughout your drive to make sure you’ll be able to deal with modifications as they arrive on the highway. Whether or not it’s safely altering lanes, watching blind spots, driving in building zones, or practising defensive driving, you’ll want to be sure to are alert and able to deal with evolving circumstances. Defensive driving equips you with the instruments wanted to remain as protected as potential, decreasing the danger of an incident by taking management of the way you present as much as the day’s drive. In contrast to offensive driving, defensive driving means that you can let others modify their driving based mostly in your actions, relatively than you reacting to them. This will scale back highway rage, in addition to scale back questionable legal responsibility in accidents with 4 wheels.

Staying alert additionally applies to stops simply as a lot because it does whereas driving. Single drivers, particularly ladies, are sometimes targets on the highway, so you will need to pay attention to your setting, report unusual individuals or incidents to the correct authorities, and keep away from truck stops that aren’t well-traveled.  

3. Keep Velocity and Distance: The inspiration of protected driving is consistency, so sustaining your velocity and distance will go a good distance in making a protected drive for not solely your self, however for all the opposite drivers on the highway with you. Based on the FMCSA, two important components in massive truck crashes embody drivers touring too quick for the circumstances and drivers following too carefully. Different frequent shifting violations embody:

• Improper lane modifications 
• Improper turns 
• Failure to yield to proper of manner 
• Reckless driving 
• Failure to obey a site visitors management system  
• Railroad grade crossing violations  

Security Doesn’t Cease at Your Vacation spot  

Even after you attain your vacation spot, there are a number of truck driver security tricks to think about. 

1. Verify for Protected Parking: When you get to your vacation spot, be sure to have a protected spot to drag into earlier than parking your truck. A earlier truck might have even left a path which you can comply with to securely park your rig. After getting parked, guarantee that your headlights are turned off and that you’ve got locked all the pieces up. 
2. Take Care Unloading Freight: Your cargo might have shifted throughout the drive, so it’s vital to take care when opening the door. In case you are lifting any objects, be sure to bend and carry together with your knees to keep away from throwing your again out. Additionally it is important to recollect to verify for staff and different drivers earlier than closing doorways or shifting your truck away from the dock. 
3. Examine Your Truck and Name It a Day: Each firm requires post-trip inspections, so you will need to full these earlier than retiring for the day. Objects on these inspections might embody checking for flat tires, checking fluid ranges, guaranteeing all headlights are working, and many others. You might also must report any injury that your rig sustained throughout the journey, particularly when you encountered poor climate circumstances, corresponding to hail or excessive winds. For brand new truck drivers, these steps are particularly vital as you become familiar together with your truck and finishing hauls. 

Operation Protected Driver Week is a chance to recollect these truck driver security ideas to make sure protected hauls each time you get out on the highway.