We’re sure there are many top-notch truck drivers with a huge driving experience among all of you folks. But we want to share with you a list of TOP 7 extremely helpful tips that can make your driving skills even more advanced.
Creating and maintaining a safe driving distance is one of the cornerstones of safe driving. The U.S. Department of Transportation recommends that drivers maintain at least four seconds of distance for commercial trucks traveling up to 40 mph to behave defensively. For every additional 10 mph of speed, the DOT recommends adding one second. For example, a truck traveling at 60 mph should maintain a six-second distance, according to DOT recommendations.
Creating a physical buffer between yourself and the vehicle ahead is one example of leaving yourself an exit. Another example is creating space to the right or left of your car. When something unforeseen happens, the defensive driver tries to keep at least one option for maneuvering out of harm's way, either to the curb or to a clear lane away from the danger.
Professional driving coaches recommend that drivers look ahead for at least 12 to 15 seconds to see potential hazards and anticipate possible threats. If you get in the habit of looking farther ahead than usual, you'll give yourself more time to see, think and act. This is especially important for drivers of large commercial vehicles or heavy equipment that can't react as quickly as smaller, more nimble passenger vehicles. The earlier you notice something, the more time you have to make the right decision.
Traffic lights tend to draw our attention, so we fixate on the light rather than the intersection.
Scan surroundings right after the traffic light turned green or just before entering the intersection to avoid distracted pedestrians and cars that might run a red light.
Drivers are often tempted to set their speed at the speed limit, plus 5 mph. We would suggest adjusting your speed according to specific conditions. Road conditions, weather, visibility, traffic patterns, and whether your vehicle is carrying a full load or is empty, all of those factors should tell you how fast you must be driving. Ultimately, good visibility and the ability to maintain safe control of the vehicle should be the guiding principles for determining speed.
Incidents involving vehicles backing up are among the most common types of collisions. It’s simply harder to drive backward. Drivers on average travel just 1 percent of their total driving distance going backward, while up to 25 percent of vehicle accidents occur while backing up.
Try to look for opportunities to avoid backing up but if you have to back up, do it slowly to give yourself plenty of time to survey the area around you and give others time to note your presence.
Your minds can wander, especially if the road is monotonous. Look around at other drivers to stay focused on driving. Try to recognize their driving patterns and see whether you can accurately predict what they will do next. If a driver makes a lane change from the left lane to the right, try to predict what he'll do next. It'll help you to make safe extreme maneuvering.
Driving a truck for a living is a hard job and it’s a dangerous job. Driving professionally requires a great deal of skill, it carries a lot of responsibility for the safety of others and it requires a lot of common sense. Being safety conscious is vital.
It is what will keep you alive when you’re faced with those tense moments which arise when behind the wheel!
Sincerely,
The Trucker Guide team.
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