Also, hard acceleration and sudden braking reduce traction, thus causing your truck to lose control.
Winter truck driving can be challenging due to the icy roads (trucks lose traction) and the poor visibility. Even the most skilled truck drivers find it challenging to maneuver on icy roads.
Therefore, every truck driver should practice the following safety tips to protect themselves and the other road users.
Check Your Truck
When preparing for winter driving, ensure you undertake a thorough truck inspection before hitting the road. However, this is not like your regular checks; you should even engage a mechanic to undertake the checks and confirm that all aspects of your truck are in perfect order. For instance, ensure the tires have the correct pressure and balance, engine oil, power, and battery charging system, and topped up fluid levels.
Check the Tire Spray
Another critical aspect is checking the water that comes from the tires. So, if the water sprayed by your truck’s tire is high, it means the road is wet, while less water means the roadway is freezing and thus exercise caution.
Drive Carefully
Keeping a balance on the wet, icy roads is not a walk in the park. A truck driver must be careful and avoid sharp and sudden movements to avoid losing control. Also, hard acceleration and sudden braking reduce traction, thus causing your truck to lose control. Therefore, always drive slowly, maintain a steady speed and go slow on brakes.
Allow Extra Space
Sudden braking reduces traction; therefore, your truck may lose control and rollover. So, always keep a safe distance with the vehicle in front of your vehicle to give room for movement in case of any unpredictable occurrence.
Drive Smoothly
Smooth driving is key to safe winter driving. Therefore, avoid sudden braking, acceleration, overtaking, or anything that reduces the traction of your truck. Also, ensure you keep a safe distance between vehicles to reduce any chances of sudden braking.
Be Prepared
While traveling for long distances, ensure you pack warm jackets, blankets, warm clothes, a flashlight, and a shovel.
Pull Over
You can always pull over when you are in doubt or when the weather conditions are incredibly harsh. You rather mess up your schedule than force your way on difficult and dangerous roads. Therefore, get a safe place to park your truck and get back on the road when the weather clears.
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