(Newswire.net — November 22, 2021) — Being a truck driver means most of your time is spent on the roads. You are bound to get cargo to its destination on time safely. In addition, you should have all the trucking permits and credentials with you to avoid any inconvenience. For instance, if you are in New York, you should have a New York DOT Number along to identify your business by the Department of Transportation.
When you’re hitting the road, you have to keep in mind several factors to make roads a safer place for you and other drivers as well. Taking safety precautions and following rules is the best way to prevent any damage to goods or being a target to potential road accidents. One of the reasons for giving a DOT number to vehicles is that the safety violations or accidents are tracked down by using this number. However, by taking the following measures you can ensure to make roads a safer place for everyone.
1. Wear Seatbelt
One of the safety measures of driving irrespective of your vehicle is wearing seatbelts. Seatbelts are meant to protect you from having severe injuries if you get into an accident. The potential injuries in the case of driving a truck are more considering the size, height, and weight of the vehicle. Wearing a seatbelt can reduce your chances of having a severe injury by 60%.
Truck drivers have to drive slowly because of the goods they are carrying. Most drivers think they don’t have a seatbelt with such a low speed. But always keep in mind that even if you drive slowly, you’re not sure if other drivers are doing the same or not. The least you can do is wear a seatbelt to make sure if something happens, you’re on the safe side.
2. Cut Down On Alcohol And Drugs
Drunk driving is the most selfish and reckless behavior on the roads. It costs thousands of lives every year just because one driver can’t control the urge to drink on weekends instead of weekdays when they’re working. The cost is paid by innocent individuals. In 2017, the influence of alcohol cost 10,874 innocent lives.
Therefore, truck drivers should drink only on weekends when they have plenty of time to recover. On weekdays, they should not even think of getting close to alcohol. You should do your job more responsibly and avoid anything that can put an end to your career. In addition, if you are on medications that lead to drowsiness then let your dispatcher know.
3. Speed Limits Are There For A Reason
Driving rules and regulations are different for heavy transport vehicles and light transport vehicles. Their speed limits also vary to ensure safety. Trucks fall in the heavy transport vehicle category. The speed limit is set for a reason, considering its size and weight.
Overspeeding does you no good. It not only puts you and your vehicle safety at risk but also tends to pose a great threat for other drivers. It is difficult to control a truck at high speed owing to its size and weight. It becomes difficult to take turns and slow down the vehicle immediately. As a result, the truck can topple which can lead to great loss. Therefore, always drive your truck within the speed limit.
4. Overloading Of Trucks
One of the huge reasons for road accidents is the overloading of trucks. Overloading of trucks is now common and results in accidents leading to fatal injuries. When the truck is overloaded, it increases the braking distance of the truck. As a result, the driver misjudges the stopping distance. This can lead to potential accidents.
Overloading also leads to tire failures because they heat up quickly due to friction leading to the bursting of tires and causing unbalancing of the vehicle. In addition, load distribution is also crucial in driving safely. Therefore, trucking businesses need to check that the loading is following OEM limits and load distribution before the truck hits the road. In this way, they can make the roads safer by fulfilling their legal and moral duty.