The world depends on truck drivers to deliver goods in sunshine, rain, or snow. Read on for tips to promote safe truck driving in the rain.
The world depends on truck drivers to deliver goods in sunshine, rain, or snow. Safe truck driving in the heavy, pouring rain takes a lot of concentration. It’s also more dangerous. Therefore, Baltimore Freight Liner is providing you with some tips today to promote safe truck driving in the rain.
Check the Weather
Before leaving in the morning, be aware of the weather on your route. You want to ensure that you’re not driving into a surprise. It will save you some stress and potentially prevent an accident.
Check Your Route
It’s best to check the maps and listen to the news to see if the weather has caused road closures or reroutes. It’s best to know what you’re heading into to plan accordingly. It’s safer to change routes at the beginning of a run rather than doing it in the middle of it when you’re unprepared.
Don’t Neglect a Pre-Trip Inspection
Every day, you should always do a pre-trip inspection. However, when it rains, you should take extra time and precautions. Additionally, it’s an unsafe idea to deflate your tires to gain traction. Tires are at the optimal performance level when fully inflated.
Keep On Your Seat Belts and Lights
Seat belts save lives. This information might be well-known. However, we cannot express enough how dangerous it can be not to have a seat belt buckled during a storm.
Also, keeping your lights on ensures that you can see the entire road while ensuring that other passengers can see you. A semi-truck suddenly appearing out of the rain can be scary for someone driving a smaller vehicle than yours.
Keep Your Music and Podcasts Low
We understand that listening to the radio, a podcast, or an audiobook while driving is one way to keep the mind engaged. However, it can also distract you. It can distract you enough to take seconds off of your response time. Therefore, it’s best to keep the volume low while reducing distractions.
Accelerate and Decelerate Gradually
Heavy rain reduces traction quickly. Therefore, you should go gently. It’s safe to change speeds gradually during a heavy downpour to prevent traction loss.
Refrain from Driving into Water Over a Roadway
A road underwater is dangerous. A tiny amount of moving water is enough to wash a vehicle away. Water also obscures your ability to see hazards. If you see moving water, turn around immediately.
Drive Slower to Promote Safe Truck Driving
A speed slower than the recommended speed limit is safer. Adjust your speed based on the weather. A safe rule of thumb is to take five miles off your speed when there are:
- Bad weather
- Curves
- Light trailer
- Heavy traffic
Increase Following Distance
The seven-second distance rule is applicable under typical driving conditions. However, this shouldn’t be a rule of thumb when it’s raining. It’s best to increase your following distance in heavy rain.
Refrain from Using Cruise Control or Engine Brake
Cruise control inhibits your feel for the road, keeping you from sensing that you’re hydroplaning. Additionally, your jake brake could result in traction loss. Therefore, you should also stay away from it in heavy rain.
Has many days of inclement weather or other regular wear-and-tear occurrences caused your semi-trucks to be on the fritz? If so, contact Baltimore Freightliner today. We offer excellent service.
Baltimore Freightliner-Western Star for all Your Trucking Needs!
Whether you are looking to upgrade your fleet to tow trucks or 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: bad weather driving tips, driving safety, inclement weather