Winter driving is especially dangerous for long haul truck drivers who need to stay focused the entire time and remember their training to know if their truck is not running properly. Winter driving is often made stressful by icy roads and snowy storms that make life difficult on a truck driver. If you’re on the road a lot, and let’s face it – many truckers always are, you should really think about investing in some triple aaa insurance so you’re always covered. Winter weather causes a lot more accidents on the roads as many drivers still drive like there is no snow, at this point you might be wanting to hire a lawyer in case reckless driving could impact you, what is reckless driving? You or others putting other road users at great risk, this is a massive practice point for many lawyer firms. When driving during the winter, truck drivers should be sure to stay as safe as possible and follow these tips to keep the tires rolling and manage the challenging weather:
Take your time – being patient and driving slowly will help to prevent skidding and losing control of your truck. Winter driving is stressful but impatience will only cause mistakes and make it worse. Accelerate and decelerate slowly and be wary of sharp turn so that you stay in control of the truck.
Watch for hills – driving on hills in the snow and ice can cause a variety of problem. Accelerate slowly when going up a hill but try to avoid coming to a complete stop. Maintaining inertia when going up a hill is critical to keeping tire traction. Using lower gears when driving on hills will also help with traction.
Brake carefully – know if you have standard or anti-lock brakes and be sure to use them sparingly. If you have standard brakes then tap on them to avoid skidding. If you have anti-lock brakes slowly ease foot down on the brake as they pump. Only brake when absolutely necessary. Sudden stops on icy snow covered roads can easily cause a truck to drive out of control.
Leave room to stop – the normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds during winter driving. This allows for more reaction time and lets truck drivers brake more easily without risking a sudden stop and skidding out of control.
No cruise control – using cruise control when during winter driving is a dangerous mistake because you will likely need to adjust to a variety of different scenarios. Trucks should slow down and be especially careful in certain situations and sudden ice patches or snow banks can come up quickly.
Maintain gas line – in order to avoid gas line freeze-up, keep your gas tank at least half full during any winter driving. Having enough fuel before going out on the road will save you from having to make unnecessary stops and putting your truck in other dangerous situations.
Watch for bridges and water – driving over bridges or near a large body of water during the winter poses a serious ice hazard. Look out for bridges and water and be sure to slow your truck down and take your time over an icy patch of road. Being cautious beforehand may save you from a dangerous situation.