Are you thinking about or starting the process of learning to drive a truck?
Maybe you’re interested in getting a job with a small trucking company. Maybe you don’t yet feel comfortable maneuvering a U-Haul for the next time you move house or apartment.
Whatever the case may be, there are a handful of things to consider when looking to transition from driving a car to a truck. The majority of them are related to your own safety, as well as the safety of others.
In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers have had the most fatalities among all detailed occupations from 2016 – 2018.
Without further delay, here are seven tips to keep in mind!
1. It’s Much Easier to Speed
If you’ve ever transitioned from driving a small sedan to driving to a large four-wheel drive, you’ve likely noticed a difference in how different traveling speeds feel. While 60mph might feel like a comfortable and perhaps brisk pace in a sedan, 60mph might feel significantly slower in a four-wheel drive or van.
This sensation is only amplified when you make the jump to a truck. At 60mph, you may feel as if you’re crawling down the highway.
With this in mind, know that it’s very easy to exceed the speed limit while driving a truck. Make a habit of monitoring your speed regularly.
2. You’ve Got More Blind Spots
With a large vehicle, there are more areas that are outside your field of vision. This means that you and other drivers are going to need to rely on different mechanisms and signals.
Using your indicators for one or two seconds before switching lanes is dangerous. It’s recommended that you let your indicators flash at least five times before transitioning from one next to the next.
You know those side mirrors of yours? You’re going to need them. No more quick glances over your shoulder. Make sure you’re 100% confident that there are no vehicles in your vicinity before making a move.
3. The Height and Width of Your Vehicle Are Key
Don’t assume that the areas you would navigate in a small vehicle can be navigated in a large truck with the same level of ease.
Particularly when there’s a sharp turn or tunnel, it’s of the utmost importance that you pay attention to all road signs. When navigating a sharp turn or curve, limit your speed as much as possible and make sure you give yourself plenty of room to complete the turn.
While you might feel pressured to speed up and rush these maneuvers if other drivers start honking their horns at you, be sure not to compromise your own safety or the safety of others.
4. Bad Weather Affects All Vehicles
When going from a midsize sedan to an 18-wheeler, it’s critical that you don’t adopt the “I’m invincible” mentality.
Contrary to how you might feel at the time, poor weather impacts large vehicles in the same way that it does small vehicles. In fact, factors such as high winds can be even more detrimental to large vehicles!
Maneuvers that might seem relatively harmless in good conditions — speeding, sharp turning, swerving, and late braking, for example — can be potentially fatal when conditions are less than perfect.
5. Routine Maintenance Is Vital
A well-maintained truck not only helps you get from point A to point B without hiccups but it also keeps you and other drivers safe.
Chances are that if you’re driving a truck, you’re carrying plenty of heavy cargo. That means that the inability to do something as simple as brake on time can cause serious accidents and injuries on the road.
If you’re working as a truck driver with another company, it’s likely that routine maintenance won’t be an option anyway; but if you’re driving independently, make sure you keep maintenance logs and that you’re aware of when your vehicle needs servicing.
6. Your Actions Directly Impact the Safety of Other Drivers
What you do on the road has a direct impact on other drivers. While you might make out well in an accident, it’s unlikely that the other drivers or passengers will.
In case that sounds like hyperbole, consider that in 2018, an overwhelming 96% of people killed in two-vehicle crashes involving a passenger vehicle and a large truck were occupants of the passenger vehicle.
All in all, it’s critical that you make decisions in the best interest and safety of other travelers. Lives depend on it.
