Road safety is one of the biggest concerns in the trucking industry today.
Trucking collisions cost a lot of money, affecting everything from medical bills to vehicle repairs to lost productivity due to downtime, says driver school Edmonton. Even a crash that doesn’t result in any injuries can raise insurance rates by almost a quarter.
Despite these numbers, less than half of all carriers use commercial truck driver safety programs to reduce the risk of road collisions and accidents.
To help fleets improve truck driver safety, driver school Edmonton has assembled a list of safety tips for truck drivers, through which you can keep yourself safe on the road. These truck driver safety tips will help improve fleet safety and reduce the risk of collisions on the road.
Avoid distracted driving
Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of road collisions.
Drivers can get distracted for various reasons, e.g., grabbing a bite while driving to save some time, lighting a cigarette, talking on the phone, or texting.
According to driver school Edmonton, truck drivers need to be extra vigilant since they’re operating larger vehicles that are harder to maneuver, take longer to decelerate, and have more blind spots or “No zones.”
Know your blind spots
Visibility is paramount for truck driver safety and prevents road collisions, especially if you’re operating a large commercial vehicle with more blind spots than a standard passenger vehicle.
It is important to familiarize yourself with all of the potential blind spots of your truck and other vehicles sharing the road with you.
Keeping lane changes to a minimum wherever possible and checking your side view mirrors at least once every 10 seconds is an effective way to increase safety and awareness.
Use a dashcam to improve driver safety.
Technology has become a big part of the trucking industry over the last few years. ELDs, fleet management software, GPS tracking, and, specifically, dashcams play a crucial role in improving driver safety, says driver school Edmonton.
In addition to enhancing driver safety, dashboard cameras (or dashcams) offer many benefits, such as improved truck driver safety training and coaching programs, lower CSA scores, and security from fake insurance claims.
Know your safe braking distance
For drivers who might be used to driving smaller vehicles, it might take time to get acclimated to a large commercial truck’s much larger braking distance. It comes down to simple physics: the bigger the rig, the longer it takes to stop.
Follow the Hours of Service rules.
The Hours of Service rules were created to help drivers minimize fatigue and increase road safety, says driver school Edmonton.
Driver fatigue is a leading cause of road collisions. Not adhering to your HOS limit is not only risky but is also a violation of the rules. Make sure you are always in compliance by following all of the Hours of Service regulations that apply to you.
Follow all road signs.
Road signs are there for a reason, and you need to pay close attention to all of the various road signs and local traffic rules in the area where you are driving.
Speeding may cause them to lose control of their vehicle when maneuvering through sudden, sharp curves, uneven surfaces, construction hazards, and other road irregularities. Paying close attention to posted road signs may help truck drivers drive safely.
Avoid hard braking, acceleration, and cornering.
Critical safety events, such as hard braking, acceleration, and cornering, are more common than you think. Drivers should avoid excessive acceleration, speeding, hard cornering, and braking to stay safe on the road.
Following the driver school Edmonton‘s standard CDL safety tips also helps educate drivers on the basics of commercial vehicle driving.
With the help of these 7 tips mentioned above, drivers can be safe on the road and make sure the others are also safe, as they are not the pone driving alone.
