Safe driving is important for anyone who wants to make sure that they avoid injury and expenses that typically result after an accident. Whether you’re a new commercial driver or you’ve been driving commercially for some time and would like to refresh your knowledge on road safety, read on. You’ll see some of the most important things that you should know about commercial driving safety.
Plan Your Route
The first thing that you need to do is to carefully plan your route before you set out. Doing so can help you know what awaits you up ahead. If there’s road work somewhere on the route you plan to take, for instance, you may be better off taking an alternative route. With nearly 3.5 million truck drivers in the United States at the moment, it’s important to make the right call as far as traffic goes. This will ensure that you need not rush too much in order to get where you’re going in good time, as you’ll make the adjustments you need to make to your trip.
Ensure You’re Fit and Well-Rested
As a commercial driver, you need to make sure that you’re in great health at all times. Doing this is going to help you drive better and avoid issues and even injuries that may arise from poor posture or sleep deprivation. That said, take time to exercise regularly and avoid staying sedentary for too long during your free time. Before you set out, you also need to rest the previous day. This is because fatigue can cause a number of focus-related issues and lead to a situation that you could have easily avoided.
Avoid Distractions Like Your Phone
With driver error being responsible for one-fourth of all accidents involving trucks, it’s important to minimize the chances that it could happen to you. This involves ensuring that you don’t get distracted by things like your phone at any point. Set your phone on mute or get an application that can allow you to keep your hands away from anything that’s not the steering wheel. Another potential distraction is trying to eat while you drive, which you can avoid by organizing your schedule well enough to allow you time to take a break and eat when you need to rather than snacking on the road.
Make Sure Your Truck Is Serviced
Your safety on the road is supported to a large extent by the state of your truck, and this is why you need to make sure that it’s in a good state all the time. This can be done by performing an inspection before you head out and after you arrive at your destination. You also need to have a regular maintenance schedule with a good auto mechanic. Note that the industrial truck was developed in 1906 by Elwell-Parker Electric Co., according to the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. This is the first iteration of the modern forklift and was pioneered in use and development to transport and handle industrial materials. It should therefore be kept in a good enough state to be able to handle any condition or situation it’s put in.
Practice Defensive Driving
Defensive driving encourages the driver to stay on the lookout for potential hazards while they drive. This can make it easier to respond well and safely to changes that may occur on the road. As such, it’s a good idea to learn more about defensive driving techniques as you’ll be able to improve your safety and that of other road users by doing so.
Keep these facts about commercial driving safety in mind so that you can stay safe and avoid injury. You’ll also improve your rating as a driver and may enjoy your job a lot more when you effectively lower the risk it’s associated with.
The post What You Should Know About Commercial Driving Safety appeared first on Industry Today.