Safe Driving Tips
The life of a commercial truck driver can come with long hours on the road. When you spend so much time out there, it’s easy to just go on autopilot as you listen to the radio and go from A to B. But remembering how to be safe driving is extremely important for commercial truck drivers, primarily because of the sheer size of their vehicles. With these simple safe driving tips ingrained in your mind, you’ll be as safe as possible while you’re out on the road, whether in a long-haul truck or a four-door sedan.
Let’s take a look at Truck Driver Academy’s ‘how to be a safe driver’ tips.
Tip #1: Listen
No matter how much you love your favorite band’s new album, you have to keep the music at a reasonable volume so that you will always be able to hear the road. If there was ever a cop, fire truck, or ambulance trying to get by and you couldn’t hear them, you could seriously slow them down.
Tip #2: Stay Alert
Podcasts, audiobooks, and the radio are a great way to pass time on the road. It’s not uncommon to get lost in those words, but this can put you at risk of slower reaction time if the person in front of you slammed on their brakes or if there was an accident that you needed to avoid. That’s why it’s vital that you remain completely alert at all times in order to be safe driving. An easy way to do this is to turn on the AC or lower the window when you feel yourself getting sucked into whatever form of entertainment you have on. Don’t forget, staying alert also means staying off your cell phones!
You should also be very aware of the other cars on the road. Are any of them swerving, brake checking, or just generally practicing unsafe driving patterns? If so, take note of them, and make sure you give them a lot of space.
Tip #3: Take Care Of Yourself
Even if you follow all of our ‘how to be a safe driver’ tips, if you’re starving, exhausted, or sick, you could have a lot of trouble focusing. Pay attention to your body, and if you feel like you need a break, do yourself and everyone else on the road a favor but taking one. If all you’re experiencing is hunger, it’s fine to munch on a granola bar or small snack, but anything bigger, like a sandwich, should be eaten when the car is parked, to avoid further distraction.
Tip #4: Anticipate Turns and Curves
No matter where you are, up in the mountains or down in the valley, you will at some point come across some sharp turns. When you see the signs warning you, slow down, keep your foot on the brake, and keep both hands on the steering wheel.
Tip #5: Wear Your Seatbelt
Believe it or not, nearly 17% of truck drivers do not wear seat belts. Whether this is through forgetfulness, carelessness, or anything in between, it’s a dangerous move. People get so used to wearing seat belts that they forget just how necessary they actually are in order for you to be safe driving.
What To Do In The Event Of An Emergency
Every truck driver should have a backup plan in case something goes wrong. Of course, the first thing you should do in an emergency is call 911. Especially on busy roads, do not leave your vehicle unless you absolutely have to. Other than that, stay calm and wait for help to arrive.
At Truck Driver Academy, we teach all of our students the importance of safety while driving and teach them the tools to do so. We do this by ensuring that our students can fully operate the commercial and ingraining in them the importance of ‘how to be a safe driver’ tips. When you finish our course, you will be fully prepared to take the commercial truck driving industry by storm.