Safety Tips for Truck Drivers

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Safety Tips for Truck Drivers
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Truckers have to constantly keep safety in mind
when driving large trucks as it is obviously very
different to driving a smaller vehicle. Being
ware of all other vehicles on the road is a
start, but it is by no means the only thing a
trucker needs to do.
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Dont change lanes too often

• A way to minimize accidents is to consistently
  stay in the same lane and always use a signal if
  changing over to another lane. Always remember to
  check for blind spots and changing lanes can
  increase your chance of potential accidents.

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Stay Off the Phone

• Cell phones distract drivers by reducing activity
  in the part of the brain that focuses on driving
  by as much as 37.
• Never text while driving. Ensure hands-free
  operation is available for your mobile should the
  rare occasion arise that you need to use /answer
  the phone while driving.

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Share the road

• Trucks with full trailers can weigh 5000 Kgs or
  more. This extra weight means they cannot stop as
  quickly as other vehicles.
• Leaving adequate space between the truck and
  other vehicles is required so that the truck can
  come to a full stop without hitting the cars in
  front of it.

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Utilize roadside assistance gear to alert

• If your truck is in need of roadside assistance
  on the side of the road it is important to be
  prepared with roadside assistance gear to alert
  fellow drivers on the road. Be sure to use cones,
  flashers and road flares that offer a further
  visual that communicates and prepares drivers to
  slow down as they pass by.

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Know The Blind Spots

• Large trucks have larger blind spots then regular
  vehicles.
• Drivers often cannot see people or vehicles in
  these blind spots, including when they are making
  a turn.
• If a person cannot see the trucker in the trucks
  side mirrors the driver cannot see them.

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Weather awareness

• Always consider the weather as a safety factor in
  your daily drive. In the winter season it is
  important to be prepared to slow down in
  inclement weather conditions that will involve
  driving below the speed limit. Considering these
  types of factors will allow you to best prepare
  as the weather comes into play.

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Always Take Breaks

• For every 18 hours a person is awake, his or her
  judgment is just as impaired as that of someone
  with a blood alcohol content of 0.08
• Truckers are required by regulations to take a
  half-hour break for every eight hours of driving.
  Skipping these breaks is not only against
  regulations, it is also dangerous.

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