Ways to Make Your Next Haul a Safer One

Mostly everyone who acquires a OTR truck driving job has learned all about proper safety protocol to take. However, there are lessons drivers can continually learn and safety skills they can constantly sharpen. Here are some helpful tips to making your next haul a safer one.

Always Be Watching

Short haul trucking jobs often require drivers to take the same route. While drivers may be very familiar with those routes, something could always change. Always be on the lookout for the unexpected as traffic patterns could alter at a moment’s notice. Be on the lookout for any signs notifying you of any traffic pattern changes or road closings.

Inspect Before You Drive

When making a lot of runs, it’s easy to breeze through your pre-trip inspection. However, a thorough inspection could alleviate a lot of problems later in the trip. Be sure to spend a good 10-15 minutes conducting a comprehensive inspection before you drive off. Also, make sure all your signaling and lights are in working order.

Ride the Right Lane

No matter how long someone has been driving a big truck, there are always going to be blind spots which limit what a driver can see. The right side of the truck is a prime area for blind spots. By traveling in the right lane, drivers eliminate those blind spots and make for much safer travel.

Stay Distraction Free

Hands free devices do not mean drivers are always distraction free. A hands free device equipped with voice recognition texting and talking on the phone without actually holding the device does not mean a driver’s full attention is on the road. Conversations can distract drivers so it is important to focus on the road, especially when you are using a hands free device.

Safety Starts the Night Before

The safety of any truck driver starts the night before your next haul. Staying up late into the night before you start a trip is never a good idea. Make sure you get a good deal of sleep since fatigue could be very detrimental to you and other drivers. And if you have any kind of cold, be very mindful of what medications you are taking as some will cause drowsiness. This applies to many other medications as well.

T.G. Stegall Trucking Company can provide an exciting new career with all types of CDL driving jobs currently available. Truck driving jobs in Charlotte, NC have never been better as competitive pay and great benefits can be yours at T.G. Stegall Trucking.