When the roads are slick and snow is falling, traffic safety sits at an all-time high. Driving large semi-trucks takes skill and confidence in ideal weather, so there is no room for carelessness or panicking.
“January and semi-truck accidents are as common as the flu in winter thanks to poor road conditions and what an inability to handle a vehicle on wet, slushy or icy roads. Consider the following accidents reported across the country over the past several days and you’ll agree with me that the average person could probably benefit from a course in winter driving.”
– Zimbio.com
[Image Courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/danebrian/]
• For starters, prepare for the worst and attempt for the best outcome. If something happens, ensure that you have the proper first aid kits and emergency gear for disastrous situations.
• Then, assess the weather conditions throughout your entire trip, if you can see you are driving into the eye of a blizzard, it may be best to postpone your trip.
• Slow down while “aiming high”, and increase the distance in which you follow other vehicles by another fifteen to twenty seconds.
• Be gentle when breaking, quick breaking can cause the vehicle to fishtail or jackknife.
• Do not increase speed when coming to a hill; instead continue momentum at the same pace through the hill, shifting into higher gears.
• Remove all snow and ice from the vehicle, as it may kick back during travels to obstruct vision.
• Ensure that only experienced truck drivers handle the winter excursions.
By Ken Lasyone of Platinum Drivers