10 Winter Driving Tips for Truckers

Cold and icy winter weather makes it much harder for drivers to stay safe. Paying attention to winter trucking safety in Wytheville, VA is paramount for employers, drivers and everyone else on the road. Your truck is already one of the heaviest, most dangerous vehicles out there, and ice, snow and rain don’t help matters.

Here are our 10 best winter driving safety tips:

1. Don’t neglect the pre-trip inspection: As a driver, you already know the importance of a pre-trip inspection, but when the weather’s bad, it’s especially critical. Brakes, tire pressure, oil and antifreeze levels are particularly important this time of year.
2. Give yourself plenty of extra room: Leave plenty of room between you and the vehicles in front of you—even more than you normally would—so you have time to stop.
3. Slow and steady gets to the destination: The best way to get to your destination is alive, so make sure to allow for plenty of time. Driving slower during bad winter weather will help you avoid accidents.
4. Double-check lights and stop signs: Snow and rain can reduce your visibility, so double-check at stoplights and stop signs to make sure you didn’t miss anything (or anyone). Pay special attention to pedestrians.
5. Watch for tire spray: When your tires spray water, that’s a good indication that the road is still wet—but if it’s raining or snowing and there’s no spray, the road could be frozen. Practicing smart trucking in the winter in Wytheville, VA means proceeding with caution.
6. Use your headlights at all times: Other drivers need to be able to see you, so keep your headlights on at all times. The more visible you are, the better.
7. Pull over when the weather gets too intense: Even if you have a schedule and deadlines to meet, there’s no sense in risking anyone’s life during a storm. If the weather is bad, pull over, keep your hazard lights on and wait it out.
8. No sudden movements: Never slam on your brakes during rain or snow. Instead, lightly tap them to slow down and stop. (This is another reason to leave plenty of room in front of you.)
9. Use evasive maneuvers: Sometimes you simply won’t have enough time to brake, so be prepared to use evasive maneuvers to avoid accidents.
10. Pack the right kind of supplies: You never know when you’re going to need to pull over and wait out a storm. For that matter, you never know how long a bad winter storm will last. Make sure you have plenty of extra warm clothing and blankets on hand, since you probably won’t be able to run your heater the entire time. You should also keep a good supply of water, food and a charged external cell phone battery in your cab.

Following these winter trucking safety tips in Wytheville, VA will help you arrive safely at your destination. For roadside assistance and truck and trailer repair, call Complete Truck Service, Inc. today.

Categorised in: Trucking Tips

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