What if I told you that most accidents can be avoided?
As a newly qualified truck driver, you’ll quickly discover that once you’ve completed your basic training and your trucking firm has given you your own rig to drive for your first trip, you’ll encounter a whole new set of obstacles.
Here are some simple guidelines for novice truck drivers who are starting out on their own as solo drivers, in order to avoid unnecessary accidents.
After all, who wouldn’t want to avoid a trucking accident?
Move Slowly
You’ve advanced to the level of a professional driver. The most important rule is to take your time.
Whatever you’re doing, take your time and be systematic. Whatever you’re doing, take your time and be systematic.
Whether you’re leaving or arriving at a truck stop, pulling into or out of a drop yard, searching for a new customer’s address, or backing your rig into a loading dock, it is vital to take your time to think through everything you’re doing.
Many avoidable accidents have speed as a major factor. For professional truck drivers, the F.M.C.S.A has a comprehensive safety section on its website.
Remember to Be Thorough
Make sure you’ve covered all of your bases and haven’t forgotten anything, such as checking your blind spots or performing a thorough pre-trip checkup.
As you leave the yard, keep an eye on the entire car. Some drivers take it for granted that there are no barriers on the road.
Constantly keep an eye on things in your immediate surroundings. You should keep an eye on the entire vehicle, not just the front end.
Keeping things organized and meticulous will help you stay out of trouble. It’s a good idea to do things in the same order every time so you don’t forget something important.
When getting ready to leave the yard, for instance, go through the pre-trip, paperwork preparation, airline check, and so on in the same order as you always do. You’ll have the best chance covering all the bases and avoiding an accident this way.
Plan Your Trip
Searching for your delivery destination will be another issue now that you’re on the road alone.
Even if you’ve done your homework and scheduled your journey to familiarize yourself with the customer’s position on your map or GPS, this can be a very stressful situation.
For a new driver, driving in traffic and locating a spot where you’ve never been can be frightening.
Even after years of experience, this can be rather stressful for veteran truckers. However, as time passes, it will become easier.
Making trip planning a part of your everyday routine is the greatest suggestion for any driver.
Use a Road Map
Investing in a decent quality road map is one of the best pieces of advice, but one that both new and veteran truck drivers often tend to overlook.
However, the GPS is only a tool. It should not be relied upon exclusively for directions. They aren’t the end-all solution.
GPS gadgets produce faults from time to time. Get a route map and compare it to the information provided by the device.
Ask the Customer for Directions
Call the receiver or customer and ask for the exact directions to the delivery site before going in to deliver your load.
This is referring to the employees who are responsible for guiding trucks into and out of the loading facility on a daily basis. Compare what they’re saying to what your map and GPS are telling you.
Then you have three points of reference. This is the most effective technique to reduce the likelihood of making a mistake.
It’s no fun being lost in an unsafe location or driving about in a tractor-trailer in a residential area.
If the consumer lives in a densely populated region, finding a delivery place can be much more difficult. You can also be required to deliver in an older part of town where the streets are small, the bends are tight, and the bridges are low.
Again, make sure to move slowly and take your time, and be conscious of your surroundings to prevent any commercial accidents.
Study Your Delivery Area and Walk Through
When you do locate your customer, park on the street, enter and inspect the area where you will be pulling the trailer in.
Examine the area’s layout. Look for obstructions that could get in the way and wind up in your blind zones as you back up.
When backing in, look around to see if there’s a way to avoid blindsiding.
This tip can help you avoid unpleasant surprises and car accidents.
Don’t Rely Solely on Your Spotter
While you may have a responsible spotter, it is still your responsibility to do this task. Your vehicle’s location and movement are ultimately your responsibility.
It is important to keep in mind that this is not your spotter’s responsibility. Remember that almost every time, the spotter is just looking at one side of the truck.
They may not be looking for overhead clearance and may not be paying attention to your front right corner, and might only be looking at the back of the trailer or a tiny portion of the area.
While the intentions of your spotter might be good, do not place all of your trust in them. Get out of your truck on a regular basis and take a look around if possible.
If you’re blindsiding in, this can be especially crucial. Take the opportunity to go outside and look around a few times. If you don’t it’s quite easy to hit something and cause a vehicle accident.
Tips for Preventing a Trucking Accident Are Essential
There are simply too many avoidable trucking accidents, many of which are caused by excessive speed and backing up.
Yes, mishaps do occur. The majority of mishaps, however, may be avoided by employing basic common sense thinking.
With these steps, you can implement safe driving, save yourself many headaches, and a potentially dangerous trucking accident during your time out on the road.
If you’ve been injured in an accident and want automobile law advice or other legal help, please contact us for advice on what to do next.