safety

Safety is an extremely vital part of operating a commercial vehicle. Not only must you be able to properly handle such a large vehicle, you must be observant of other cars. Training, pre-planning, and inspections are essential before a driver can ever take off. However, there are new safety rules, regulations, and best practices that pop up throughout the trucking world all the time.

Weather and security measures can put your drivers and clients’ cargo at risk. Plus, with the new advances in technology, devices like cameras and driving habit detectors play a huge role in commercial truck driving safety.

As a commercial vehicle driver, it’s important to stay knowledgeable about new advances and practices to keep drivers accountable and properly assign accountability.

In these articles, we’ll go over all things trucking safety. We’ll cover topics like driving behaviors, tips, news, inspections, and proactive measures that can keep your drivers safe and your insurance rates low.

How to Avoid Driver Fatigue

Physical or mental exertion can cause driver fatigue in truck drivers. This fatigue is quite common because truckers travel all over the country working long odd hours. Therefore, they often get inadequate sleep or have an inconsistent sleep schedule.

The Large Truck Crash Causation Study revealed that around 13% of truck drivers were fatigued at the time of their crash. This statistic is alarming and presents a major issue in the trucking industry.

Although situations like these can’t be 100% avoided, there are some ways to stay well-rested and healthy during your trips.

6 Reefer Truck Safety Tips

Transporting perishable cargo requires extra care and consideration. Most of these products include: produce, frozen food, pharmaceuticals, meat, plants, etc. Therefore, to comply with FDA guidelines you’ll need a well-equipped reefer truck. A refrigerated truck can keep goods at their required temperature for the duration of the trip. Proper procedures and guidelines need to be followed to a tee.

Therefore, we have compiled some tips in this article for your guidance. These reefer truck safety tips will help you ensure that your perishable items are delivered to their designated location. Let’s begin.

5 Tips for Driving in Rush Hour Traffic

Rush hour traffic can be incredibly annoying, even more so if you drive a commercial motor vehicle. This can include anything from delivery trucks, tow trucks, semis, mail trucks, etc. While there isn’t much you can do about the traffic itself, there are ways to avoid it. However, if this isn’t possible, we have some tips that can keep you and the drivers around you safe. Let’s begin.

Safety Tips for Driving Unfamiliar Roadways (Trucking Edition)

Road safety is a major concern, considering accidents can occur anywhere and with anyone. The Large Truck Crash Causation Study reveals that around 22% of trucking accidents occur on unfamiliar roadways.

Therefore, one of the easiest ways to avoid an unpleasant scenario is to plan your route well.

5 Safety Tips for Dump Truck Drivers

Dump truck drivers operate heavy vehicles, which is why they need to be extra cautious when driving on the road. Many new drivers entering the industry don’t have a firm understanding of the risks and dangers of driving such a large vehicle. Therefore, in this article, we will discuss several safety tips to keep you and others safe while you operate your dump truck.

Tips for Properly Securing Your Cargo

Have you ever driven behind a truck carrying a large load? You may even find yourself nervously surveying the vehicle to see how secure the cargo is. The problem with unsecured cargo is it can fly off the back of the truck striking other vehicles behind them. According to the FMCSA, 4% of accidents are caused by improperly secured cargo.

Sleep Apnea in Truck Drivers

Sleep apnea is a very serious condition that most truck drivers suffer from, mainly because of the nature of their job. Since they spend a lot of time on the road, it’s not uncommon for them to have irregular sleep patterns or experience trouble sleeping. According to various professionals, at least one in three truck drivers suffer from severe or mild sleep apnea.

How to Prevent Truck Rollovers

Unfortunately, truck rollovers are a common occurrence, with at least one taking place every day. Despite them being so dangerously common, they are avoidable. We will be discussing the three common misconceptions that people have about rollovers, the real causes, and how drivers can prevent them.

New Bill Aims to Protect Truckers Against Staged Crashes

The safety of truckers is becoming a major issue in the US, but new legislation such as the Highway Accident Fairness Act of 2021 aims to protect them against staged crashes. Specifically, the bill protects trucking companies from being financially burdened due to a claim from a staged accident.