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Commercial Truck Winter Driving Safety Tips

Dec. 29 2021 Safety By Fyda Freightliner

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If you’re searching for ways to make your commercial truck ready for your trips during the cold season, you’ve arrived at the right place. Our experts have created this guide to highlight a few safety measures to keep you safe when operating your large truck during winter. Read on to learn more, and for more information, visit Fyda Freightliner. We have dealerships throughout Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania—swing by the one that’s nearest to you.

Pre-Trip Inspections

Low temperatures can often create unique problems for your commercial truck. To make sure your rig safely transports you and your cargo to your destination, you’ll want to inspect it thoroughly before you leave home.

A few maintenance checks that you’ll want to perform on your vehicle are:

  • Check the air pressure in your tires.
  • Make sure your tires have enough tread to maintain traction on the road.
  • Examine the motor oil and engine coolant and top off any low levels.
  • Ensure that your braking system, lights, and electrical systems are in good working condition.
  • Check that your windows and mirrors are clean.

Adjust For Weather

Larger trucks need more reacting time. That’s why you’ll want to make sure you have twice as much stopping distance on wet or snowy roads. Increase this space even further when you are on an icy road.

You’ll also want to increase your following distance to ensure you have sufficient space to avoid being in a collision. Maintaining distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you will also give you enough room to change speed or direction suddenly.

Visibility

The cold season is synonymous with low light conditions. That’s why you’ll want to take all possible measures to improve visibility both for you and other motorists on the road.

Make sure to turn on your headlights when it’s snowy or gray during the day and have them on when driving your commercial truck at night. You’ll also want to be extra cautious when approaching any intersections or one-way streets.

Emergency Preparation

In addition to the points above, you’ll want to prepare for emergencies. Though this will take some extra time, it will help you get out of a sticky situation. Ensure that you always bring items like a flashlight, a first-aid kit, matches, a shovel, and a bag of sand on your trips.

However, sometimes it’s best to pull over and wait for the weather to clear. So, react to the given situation and stay safe.

We hope you find this guide helpful when driving your commercial truck in cold weather. If you have more questions or are still in the market for a new truck, visit Fyda Freightliner. We have an excellent inventory of commercial trucks for sale, and our friendly team can suggest models for your budget. We can also give you a complete tour of the available options and help you find a model that’s perfect for your operations. We have dealerships in multiple locations throughout Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and we can’t wait to assist you!