Winter has a lot to enjoy, like watching the snowflakes fall, getting cozy by the fireplace, and enjoying the winter holiday festivities. Where winter isn’t as enjoyable is on the road, especially as a truck driver. Trucks are already fairly difficult to navigate, and winter presents inclement weather conditions that only present more challenges for truck drivers. In order to stay safe on the road this winter, it’s important to follow these truck driving tips.
Reduce Your Speed
Winter brings conditions such as snow and ice to the roads. These conditions can make the road more slippery, causing your tires to lose traction. As such, you want to decrease your driving speed so that you’ll have enough time to react to any obstacles that pop up on the road.
Give Yourself More Following Distance
Along with debris and other hazards on the road, you’ll also need to give yourself time to react to other drivers during truck driving. When winter weather comes into play, your truck may have a harder time coming to a stop. As such, you should increase how much stopping distance you have. The more stopping distance you allot yourself, the easier it will be to react to other drivers while you’re on the road. This lowers the likelihood of collisions.
Always Pay Attention While You’re Driving
This piece of advice will be true regardless of road conditions, but it’s especially important during stormy weather. When truck driving through tough winter weather conditions, there will be more hazards on the road, and it’ll be harder to come to a stop when needed. As such, you need all of the reaction time you can get, and you’ll lose precious reaction time if you aren’t paying attention to your surroundings. As such, always maintain your focus while truck driving.
Baltimore Freightliner-Western Star for all Your Trucking Needs!
Whether you are looking to upgrade your fleet to tow trucks or are simply interested in the latest trucking technology, you can rely on Baltimore Freightliner-Western Star. We have provided top-notch service for the trucking industry for 30 years and would love to assist you in buying a new top-of-the-line truck, finding the specialty parts you need, or repairing your truck. Give us a call toll-free at 800-832-7278 or locally at 410-685-4474, or contact us online. To find out more about what we are up to, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Tags: trucking safety, trucking tips, winter