Even for a veteran truck driver, winter is the most dangerous time of year. The season’s road conditions require more care, and they can change drastically in just minutes. To help you stay safe, here are a few driving tips for winter.
How to Stay Safe on the Road in Winter
1. Plan Ahead
The best way to save yourself trouble, time, and money during the winter months is to plan ahead and know if snow or inclement weather is likely on your route. Check forecasts, weather cams, and traffic reports in the days leading up to the trip, and know what to expect. If there’s the possibility of ice or snow, bring even more gear than you would normally pack for a winter trip.
2. Check the Essentials Before Driving
Before you start driving for the day, always check your vehicle and your gear to ensure everything is in order. This means inspecting the vehicle for damage, bad tires, low pressure, and working lights, and it means double-checking that you have blankets, food, chains, and emergency supplies with you in the cab.
3. Communicate With Other Drivers
Your CB is an invaluable tool during winter because you can use it to maintain communication with other truck drivers on the road. Before heading into a dangerous area, you can radio ahead and ask other drivers what the conditions are like. When you encounter inclement weather, you can also use the CB to warn those behind you and keep them safe.
4. Keep Your Guard Up
Driving during winter is always more dangerous for truck drivers than it is during other seasons. Anticipating bad conditions and unexpected issues will keep you and others safer on the road. Maintaining slower speeds than normal will give you a better chance of making emergency stops and lane changes, and keeping longer following distances gives you crucial time to pull over, swerve, or regain control in the case of an emergency. During this time, it’s more important than ever to avoid all distractions. A situation can turn bad very quickly during snow and ice events, and keeping your eyes on the road at all times could be the difference between safety and an accident.
5. Stayed Fueled Up
You never know when you’ll need to pull over for the night during winter, so it’s best to keep your fuel tank as full as possible. In the case of an emergency stop or a road closure, you’ll want to run the engine for as long as possible to stay warm, and you don’t want to be caught on empty when you pull over.
If you want to get your CDL certification from the best, turn to Hamrick School in Medina, OH. This fully accredited school has trained over 10,000 new truckers with the skills needed to make a successful career in the industry. Learn more about their admissions process online, and call (330) 239-2229 to inquire about financial aid.
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