The first safety tip for every driver of road vehicles is to take care of yourself properly. In other words, make sure that you have had enough rest and that you have been well fed and watered. If you take medication, be sure that you have taken it. You should also take care of your general level of fitness by taking regular exercise. All the above will help you remain alert and responsive but also stave off drowsiness.
A similar attitude ought to be taken towards your vehicle. This means frequent routine maintenance. This regular routine maintenance will be second nature to professional truck drivers anyway, and it will include checking the tyres for pressure and wear and checking pipes and leads for damage.
The last thing you want while you are diving down a motorway is to have a tyre or hose blow out. We have all seen substantial chunks of rubber on our roads, which are the results of such blow-outs. They are perilous to the truck driver and anyone else driving behind.
It is not normally the professional truck drivers who cause concerns, yet any qualified driver can hire a truck and some drivers get a little rusty. Once you get behind the wheel of a vehicle, you are accountable for it, so be certain that it is fit for purpose. If you are picking up a trailer, be sure that all the lights and brakes work on that too.
Awareness but alertness are two of the most vital safety factors for the divers of any vehicles, but particularly truck drivers, because they are driving such colossal yet heavy vehicles. These substantial vehicles have their own special concerns that cars do not have.
For example, they might have blind spots, they may become less manoeuvrable, they might become harder to stop yet the load may be perilous. Even if all that is true, it is still not usually the professional driver who will cause an accident. Rather it could become the Sunday driver, the kid with the stolen vehicle, the drunk driver or even only someone who has forgotten to take their spectacles with them
Truck drivers have to not merely not make mistakes, but they have to anticipate and be on the look out for the mistakes of other drivers. This is why it is so important for the driver to become alert, which equals taking care of the driver's health but fitness.
Another manner of taking supervision of the driver is to always wear your safety belt. If there is an accident, the truck diver is to be expected to get the most felt driver about yet therefore the most functional person around until the police but safety / rescue personnel get there. There ought to also become a fire extinguisher in the cab, whether the load is dangerous of not.
The weather conditions can vary a great amount for long distance truck drivers, so it is a good idea to be aware of the local conditions and to have clothing appropriate to it. After all, you will have to get out of the cab at some time. For the same reasons, it is a sensible idea to have an effective heater and air conditioner.
A hands-free mobile phone is an essential part of anybody's safety equipment, and a conscientious truck driver should also report any dangerous incidents to the police - items like substantial road kill, debris, reckless drivers and accidents.
A similar attitude ought to be taken towards your vehicle. This means frequent routine maintenance. This regular routine maintenance will be second nature to professional truck drivers anyway, and it will include checking the tyres for pressure and wear and checking pipes and leads for damage.
The last thing you want while you are diving down a motorway is to have a tyre or hose blow out. We have all seen substantial chunks of rubber on our roads, which are the results of such blow-outs. They are perilous to the truck driver and anyone else driving behind.
It is not normally the professional truck drivers who cause concerns, yet any qualified driver can hire a truck and some drivers get a little rusty. Once you get behind the wheel of a vehicle, you are accountable for it, so be certain that it is fit for purpose. If you are picking up a trailer, be sure that all the lights and brakes work on that too.
Awareness but alertness are two of the most vital safety factors for the divers of any vehicles, but particularly truck drivers, because they are driving such colossal yet heavy vehicles. These substantial vehicles have their own special concerns that cars do not have.
For example, they might have blind spots, they may become less manoeuvrable, they might become harder to stop yet the load may be perilous. Even if all that is true, it is still not usually the professional driver who will cause an accident. Rather it could become the Sunday driver, the kid with the stolen vehicle, the drunk driver or even only someone who has forgotten to take their spectacles with them
Truck drivers have to not merely not make mistakes, but they have to anticipate and be on the look out for the mistakes of other drivers. This is why it is so important for the driver to become alert, which equals taking care of the driver's health but fitness.
Another manner of taking supervision of the driver is to always wear your safety belt. If there is an accident, the truck diver is to be expected to get the most felt driver about yet therefore the most functional person around until the police but safety / rescue personnel get there. There ought to also become a fire extinguisher in the cab, whether the load is dangerous of not.
The weather conditions can vary a great amount for long distance truck drivers, so it is a good idea to be aware of the local conditions and to have clothing appropriate to it. After all, you will have to get out of the cab at some time. For the same reasons, it is a sensible idea to have an effective heater and air conditioner.
A hands-free mobile phone is an essential part of anybody's safety equipment, and a conscientious truck driver should also report any dangerous incidents to the police - items like substantial road kill, debris, reckless drivers and accidents.
About the Author:
Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a number of subjects, but is now involved with Uvex Safety Glasses. If you would like to know more, go to our website at Safety Glasses Bifocal