Safety is a huge concern in the trucking industry today. From road safety to personal safety, it is important for drivers to be prioritizing their safety and others at all times. Many accidents and injuries can be prevented when drivers follow a set of safety procedures. We want to provide some safety tips to help keep our roads and drivers safe.
1. Take Care of Yourself
The most important asset to your truck is YOU. If you aren’t functioning well and taking good care of yourself, that increases your risk for accidents. It is important to get a good night’s sleep, be eating well, exercise, and stay hydrated! All of these things will help you function better as a driver and keep you safe.
2. Practice Defensive Driving
Defensive driving encourages you to constantly be on the lookout for potential hazards and changes in driving conditions on the road. Defensive driving reduces the risk of accidents by anticipating what other drivers are going to do. This allows you as a driver to make quick well informed decisions while behind the wheel. A few defensive driving tips are:
- Being aware of your blind spots
- Give yourself time to stop
- Be prepared for emergencies
- Always signal
- Stay calm and collected
- Slow down during dangerous weather conditions
3. Check Weather Reports
It is important to be aware of the weather prior to departing on your route. Be aware of what you may run into and take the necessary precautions. If you know what to expect, you are more likely to be prepared for bad weather driving.
4. Pre and Post Trip Inspections
Make sure you are performing comprehensive pre-trip and post-trip inspections on your truck. Be sure all of your inspections are thorough and accurately documented up to DOT standards in order to ensure your safety while on the road.
5. Wear Your Seatbelt
This may seem like common sense, but studies show that 1 in 6 truck drivers don’t wear their seat belts. It is illegal not to wear a seatbelt, and more than 40% of crash-related deaths that occur every year are from not wearing a seatbelt. So buckle up and stay safe!
6. Pay Attention to the Speed Limit
Speed limits have been set for a reason, and it is important to follow them. Especially ones that are explicitly noted for truck drivers. Speeding can cause you to suddenly lose control of your vehicle or not be able to judge the right amount of time you may need to slow down.
Closing
Road safety is important for everyone – but especially for truck drivers. These are our top tips for staying safe while on the road.
Here at Fremont Contract Carriers, we treat our drivers like family. Consider driving for FCC today!