When we think of the fourth of July we imagine a nice sunny day, the savory flavors of a burger on the grill, the tunes & the fireworks. Independence day is around the corner, let’s not forget why we are celebrating. Take a moment to show some appreciation for the people that got us here and to the people still working throughout the holiday weekend, like our beloved truck drivers. Let’s enjoy this holiday, follow these safety tips for truck drivers on the 4th of July.
If around your parts you are experiencing some hot summer weather, don’t forget to hydrate! A lot of times it’ll be nice weather and we keep going through our day. We might get burned out from heat exhaustion, from physical activities or lack of water intake.
Stay Alert
Stay attentive when you drive, feeling fatigue can be a cause for a car accident. Don’t be distracted while driving, pay attention to the road, holidays like the 4th of July are known for drunk drivers on the road. About 45 million Americans will be driving for over 50 miles over the weekend to celebrate with family, impaired driving could be a major issue this weekend. Many truckers like to communicate with loved ones around holidays, talking on bluetooth is fine but driving requires a lot of focus on the road.
Buckle Up & Watch Your Speed
If you’re driving in an area with families and parties around, drive slower, children tend to pay less attention crossing streets. Make sure you are always buckled up, there’s high congestion on highways. If you catch yourself driving faster than the cars around you, reduce your speed. Summer time is a busy time for the road, and for construction so make sure you are reducing your speed around construction areas.
Expect Delays
Plan your route ahead of time, and give yourself a little extra time in case of traffic or other delays. Road conditions may change due to weather, and during a holiday weekend it is expected to have more traffic than normal, especially if millions of people are thinking the same thing you are. Before you leave for your adventure, make sure you check all your fluids & tire pressure to avoid a blowout on the road.
Blind Spots
Just like all of our cars have blind spots we need to be aware of, trucks also have blind spots, and it is a lot harder for them to see you than for you to see them. A good way for you to be able to tell if they can see you is if you are able to see their mirrors, if you cannot see them, the drivers cannot see your car.
Be aware of the vehicle in front of you
Leave a little extra room, just in case the unexpected happens and that vehicle has to slam on their brakes. If you are driving behind or next to a large truck and you want to pass them, make sure you give them plenty of space, don’t cut them off. Trucks are heavier even when they’re empty without a load, you never know what they could be hauling. On a highway with a fully loaded truck, it’ll take them up to TWO FOOTBALL FIELDS to come to a complete stop.
“Doing small things as simple as buckling your safety belt, putting away your cell phone, and leaving an appropriate following distance between you and other cars can all play a part in safe driving,” said Share the Road professional truck driver Bill Hambrick, of Werner Enterprises. “We want people across America to have a great time with their family and friends this holiday, and using these tips from professional truck drivers can drastically increase highway safety for everyone.”
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