Tips for Safely Driving Your Semi-Truck in Heavy Rain

We cannot stop bad weather, but we can find new tips to help you drive safer in the rain. A large truck is something that can be especially dangerous to drive during bad weather. Knowing some tips to help make driving in bad weather safer can make a big difference.

Slow Down

One of the biggest things to keep in mind while learning about driving your semi-truck safely is that you need to slow down. When it rains, the road is going to be slippery. Even if you are a safe driver, you need to be careful and make sure that you are slowing down and that you are allowing plenty of stopping distance between you and other drivers. You also need to pay attention to other drivers and ensure that you are allowing plenty of space both in front of you and around you as well.

Avoid Slamming on Your Brakes

Another thing to keep in mind is that you want to avoid slamming on your brakes. The reason that most people hydroplane and end up skidding and slipping is that they slam on the brakes. This is especially true of very large trucks and those that are fully loaded down. You should avoid slamming on your brakes as it can be very dangerous. Bridges are especially difficult to traverse if there is rain, so allow for extra caution on bridges and overpasses that might be slicker than other parts of the road.

Wait if Possible

If at all possible, it is a great idea to wait for the rain to stop or for the rain to let up at least. By allowing time for the rain to stop or ease up, you can decrease your chances of getting into a wreck and you can help make driving safer. If you have to be out, you do need to ensure that you have emergency supplies on hand. This is going to help protect you if you are stranded or if you do get into an accident and have to wait for a 24-hour wrecker service or other help to arrive.

Practice Caution

The best thing to remember is that you should practice caution as much as possible. If you can avoid the rain, do so. If you can stay off the road, do so. If you do have to get out, you need to give yourself extra time so that you can be cautious and you can give yourself more time on the road. By allowing for more time, you can cut down the need to rush and you can cut down on the trouble that might be caused by the rain and by other drivers.

You also want to ensure your lights are clean and that visibility is as good as you can get before you head out. Clean your lights off, make sure your headlights are working properly and make sure your wipers are in great shape as well.

Categorised in: Trucking Tips

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