Summer Safe Driving Tips
Summer is a season that requires more awareness from you as a professional driver. With warmer weather comes more potential for danger on the road. Summer weather means an increased chance of tractor issues, summer storms, and more road activity – construction, children playing outside, families on vacation and tourists visiting unfamiliar areas.
Follow these simple summer driving tips to keep everyone safe:
Check Your Vehicle: The chance of tire blowouts increases with the hot temperatures of summer. If your tires are under-inflated, this can further increase the risk of blowouts. Make sure your tires are properly inflated before you start driving. Heat can also affect your truck’s brakes, potentially causing them to not work properly. Make sure to check brakes frequently and get them fixed before a small problem grows. Lastly, soaring summer temperatures can cause your engine to overheat, you may need to slow down when driving up hills to prevent overheating.
Check The Weather: Always check the weather forecast for your route before you head out, and be mindful of warnings from local traffic authorities. Don’t underestimate the power of a summer storm – a flash flood on the road could leave you and your vehicle stranded.
Be Alert For Pedestrians, Cyclists And Bikers: Summer means schools are out. More pedestrians are likely to be crossing roadways, and children playing on or near streets. Keep an extra watch on those around you and for pedestrians looking to cross the road. In addition, more cyclists and bikers take to the road this time of the year, therefore more injury and fatal accidents occur. Be extra attentive and look for cyclists and bikers on or around the road.
Road Construction: Construction goes into full gear once the weather starts to warm. Be cautious when you are approaching and driving through construction zones. Construction zones are known for sudden stops and changes in traffic. In addition, be on the lookout for construction workers and equipment that may me extremely close to traffic.
Congested Traffic: During the summer, many families take to the roads for their vacation, congesting the roads. In addition, vacation travelers are likely to become lost and make sudden changes. Exercise proper speed and space management, always allowing yourself time to safely stop your vehicle.
Fatigue: Days are longer during the summer and encourage more activity. Make sure you get a proper amount of sleep before driving.
Dehydration: Due to hot temperatures it will take more water to stay properly hydrated. It’s easy to forget to drink water while driving, but it’s very important in order to stay hydrated. Pay attention to current and predicted temperatures. Bring extra water with you for the road. If you experience symptoms of heat stroke (headaches, muscle cramps, and dizziness), it is important that you get off the road and seek medical attention.
Sun Protection: Driving several hours a day means you will be exposed to a large amount of sun. Sun glare can be a persistent problem when driving and prevent you from seeing obstacles in the road. It’s important to wear sunglasses, sunscreen, long sleeves and even a hat to give yourself proper protection from the sun.
Whether you’ve recently completed truck driving school or are a seasoned truck driver, you’ll want to make sure you take the proper precautions to beat the heat while on the road during the summer months. Follow the truck driving safety tips above and you’ll be much more comfortable, happy and safe.