Simple Ways to Avoid Truck Accidents
Safety is your number one priority on the road!
As a new trucker, you’ll likely be starting out with a trainer or partner in the cab with you. Heed all of their advice. Safety should be your number one priority. If you’re starting out as a solo driver, just remember all the safety rules you learned in CDL training. If you need a refresher, here are some important safety rules to help avoid accidents.
Slow Down
No matter where you are or what you’re doing, take your time. If you need to drive a little slower on the highway to get your bearing, move to whichever lane it is safest to do so. If you’re backing into a loading dock, don’t be afraid to stop and check your surroundings multiple times before you back all the way in.
Think About It
Keep your mind on what you’re doing at all times. More accidents are caused by carelessness than anything else. If your phone won’t stop going off, silence it. If there’s a distracting news story on the radio, turn it off. When you’re driving that truck, nothing is more important than maintaining safety.
Ask Customer for Directions
Before driving into somewhere you’ve never been before, call the customer and ask them how they would suggest you come in. Make sure you talk to the receiving employees, whoever is at the loading dock receiving the freight and guiding trucks in. Then, cross-reference that with your physical map and GPS. You don’t want to be lost in a tractor-trailer in an unfamiliar or unsafe area.
Check Out the Delivery Site
Before actually attempting to make your delivery, park in a safe place an walk around the area where you will need to go to make the delivery. Even in loading docks, there can be a significant amount of variation in the size of truck parking spots. There is also sometimes debris in the area that can cause accidents if run over.
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