The showers of rain, the severe hot weather, the chilly winter guides our actions. It plays a decisive role in the completion of our tasks. One schedules his/her job keeping several other things in mind, including the weather. The average weather conditions in an area affect several activities to a greater extent. At some stage, all drivers are tested by difficult climatic conditions. Adverse weather conditions include driving in rain, snow, hailstorm, thunderstorm, strong winds and extreme hot or cold weather. Unfortunately, many people think little about the alterations required in driving system.
With a 80,000 pound truck in control, a truck driver can never enjoy his ride when it’s pouring and the breeze is blasting. The best strategy for driving in unfavorable climate is to avoid it. But, if in any case, going out is vital or you get captured in terrible conditions once you’re already out, then you need to follow some safe driving tips.
Worsening weather conditions can present numerous challenges to the truckers and therefore they must have special skills to overcome such situations. It’s time for you to read further to know how to deal with adverse weather conditions.
Driving a truck is never “simple,” yet this is particularly valid in frigid climate. To sharpen your abilities, ask somebody with winter driving knowledge to take you to an empty parking lot where you can work on driving, turning, and halting in the snow.
The best safety step during bad climatic conditions is to avoid driving. But, if in any case that you have to drive:
Roads are messy. Engine motors sometimes dribble oils. Due to a lot of tires rolling on the roads, a ton of sleek and smooth substances develop on roads. That’s the reason why roads become smooth and slippery after drizzling and rain showers. The water spreads these oils to the surface, making the roads slippery and dangerous.
If you get captured in such circumstances and your truck begins to slip, don’t panic or hammer on the brakes. Keep a firm hold on the steering wheel, lift your foot off the accelerator, and let the vehicle drift (making a point not to turn the steering wheel) until the point that you feel your vehicle get footing once more.
Always keep yourself aware of thunderstorm warnings. If a thunderstorm starts while you’re driving and visibility is not up to the mark, wait for some time. Don’t take the risk of facing the thunder and lightning — stay in your truck for keeping yourself and your truck safe and secure.
During bad weather conditions, one needs to follow the given four techniques to prevent any further damage:
The days of summer are no joke, and whether you have a whole deal or a short-pull, it’s a smart thought for truckers to plan ahead and be prepared for the heat.
Here are only a couple of approaches to remain safe amid the hottest part of the summer:
Stay Hydrated: On a bustling day, it is really very common to overlook something basic like drinking enough water. Let’s assume you have twelve stops and you know there’s scarcely enough time in the workday to make them all. You may neglect to drink those couple of jugs of water in the route. During winters, no damage no foul. But, on a sweltering summer day with the perspiration dribbling, appropriate hydration is an absolute necessity.
Protect Your Eyes And Ensure Visibility: There are just too many photons on a open bright summer day. With so much light entering the eyes, the visibility gets too low. Also, its harmful for the human eyes. Sunglasses are extremely necessary when its bright and the sky is clear.
Sunscreen is Must: For short-pull drivers who are getting in and out of their trucks for the duration of the day, sunscreen is a need. Secure your skin with sunscreen. The sun’s beams can be unforgiving, so make sure to protect your whole body.
Be Careful About Your Rig’s Maintenance: As a responsible truck driver, it’s constantly vital to assess your tires and brakes all the time, regardless of the weather forecast. In any case, this turns out to be much more critical during extraordinary heat, which can prompt quicker disintegration of brakes and tires. Remain careful about your rig’s maintenance. Tires can get overheated and burst. Parts of damaged tires (sharks in a trucker’s lingo) are everywhere to be seen in the summer months.
“Beware of the sharks on the road”
Always Be Prepared: We’ve concentrated on heat until now, however along with that, summer also brings with it extreme tempests and tornados all through a significant part of the nation. Streets can end up smooth or overwhelmed. Visibility can drop down to zero. Winds can blast at unbelievable velocities. Never ignore the weather warnings. Always watch the climate report before you begin, recognize what’s coming and draw over when conditions get excessively perilous.
Your Fitness as A Driver Is A Must: A safe driver should endeavor to be physically fit, sound and prepared for the difficulties that extraordinary climate may toss at him. In antagonistic climatic conditions, it is significantly more essential to be alert and to utilize every one of your senses to recognize potential perils. The driver should have a clear vision to ensure safe driving. Besides this, he/she must avoid loud music on the radio and other such distractions and try to prevent driver fatigue by keeping the vehicle well ventilated.
Fitness of The Vehicle Also Matters: A Safe driver should be aware of the need to have a vehicle equipped with all the preventive measures to drive safely and to not succumb to bad climatic conditions. Here’s a suggestion for an entire inspection plan before a trip with keen focus on the following:
Be Prepared for The Unexpected Emergency: Once you are ensured about your own driving ability to drive in the bad weather, there are a few basic steps to make you ready for the drive:
The above mentioned steps, to be followed during specific weather conditions, include some general measures as well as some special tips. They will always prove to be beneficial, if followed carefully. So, it is very necessary to act judicially. All the preventive measures must be implemented at the right time, so as to deal with the bad climatic conditions and have a safe and pleasant experience while driving a truck.
Follow the safety tips and have a safe and secure drive!!