Driving on wet leaves can be dangerous for a variety of reasons.
Fall is a beautiful time of year. After all, with the leaves changing colors, the outdoors offer a refreshing aesthetic that’s distinct from the remainder of the year. Unfortunately, for truck drivers, these leaves can sometimes do more harm than good, especially when they’re wet. Driving on wet leaves can be dangerous for a variety of reasons.
Wet Leaves Can Worsen Tire Traction
Wet leaves are rather slippery, and this means that your truck tires will have a harder time keeping traction on the road. When road conditions are more slippery, you’ll have to drive more slowly in order to remain safe. This is because it takes longer to come to a stop, so driving more slowly gives you extra time to respond to obstacles that may appear on the road.
Leaves Can Conceal Potholes
Potholes can cause damage to your truck’s tires, so you want to avoid them whenever possible. When there are leaves on the road, however, it’s harder to see where potholes are located. This means it’s more likely for you to run through one at a high speed. This doesn’t even take into consideration the other hazards that leaves can hide, such as bumps, sticks, and various sharp objects.
Wet Leaves Stick Onto Your Windshield
When leaves are wet, they tend to adhere to the surface of your windshield. This can obscure your vision while you’re driving. Naturally, impaired visibility is going to make driving more dangerous because you’ll have a harder time seeing obstacles, pedestrians, and other drivers on the road, making it more likely for collisions to occur that can sometimes even be fatal.
Road Markings May Be Covered
It’s important to know the lane in which you’re driving. When the roads are clear, this is easy, but leaves can hide road markings, which makes it harder to tell where you should be driving. You’ll need to be extra careful while you’re out on the road so that you don’t drive into oncoming traffic.
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Tags: truck drivers, trucking safety, weather