Truck Services: Improving your Bay Bridge Truck Driving safety
Driving over a bridge is one of the most dangerous tasks truck drivers take on. A bridge truck drivers and overall commuters dread is the Maryland Bay Bridge also known as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
Gephyrophobia, also known as high anxiety or fear of bridges, is very common for Truck drivers and the average commuter.
Each day thousands of drivers cross the Bay Bridge to pass over the Chesapeake Bay.
The Bay Bridge is one of the longest, highest bridges in America. So there’s no surprise why the Bay Bridge is one Truck drivers fear to cross with heavy loads or empties.
Deadly accidents can occur when drivers feel dizzy from the height.
The Bay Bridge in its self is very oddly constructed – from the sharp turn to the wide-open, long distance. The Bay Bridge can even sway at times of high winds.
The number one reason drivers fear the bay bridge is due to the sensation of passing out/ having a heart attack or other medical emergency while crossing the bridge.
In previous years, The Maryland Transportation Authority provided a service to drive people across the bridge. This service is no longer provided.
Some bridges can give way and plunge trucks and cars alike into frigid waters.
Although there is no way you can identify how safe a bridge is to drive over, there are driving safety measure you can consider:
- Be cautious of your surrounding. The last thing you want a tractor-trailer to do is strike an overhead beam.
- Know how old bridges are in the area. The average bridge in America is about 42 years old. The government requires bridges to be inspected every two years to identify if emergency repairs are necessary.
- Keep in mind that bridges and overpasses exposed to air during rainy and cold days create black ice. The element of surprise can be deadly if the truck loses control.
To make sure your truck is in the best condition to travel bridges such as the Bay Bridge, schedule a truck maintenance check up with Middleton & Meads.
Take a look at our truck solutions/ services to see what we can do for you.
Contact Middleton and Meads by calling 410-752-5588 or click here today for information.
With three locations to serve you throughout Baltimore, Washington DC and Virginia, Middleton and Meads will keep you “on the road.” Our service professionals are experienced and knowledgeable. That is why companies of all sizes depend on us – day in, day out, mile after mile.
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Source:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/24/travel/us-bridge-safety
http://icyroadsafety.com/icybridges.shtml
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/about/outreach/education/bridge-strikes.aspx