NEWS & REPORTS

Staying Safe in Adverse Weather

Nov 13, 2013 | Articles

It’s that time of year when we all face increased hazards caused by weather.  In addition, many of our clients are in their peak season.  Now is the time many of you are operating at full capacity, in the middle of the worst weather of the year.

Some proven, basic rules for safe driving in winter weather:

  1. Make sure drivers are prepared.  Mentally prepared, alert and awake.  Physically prepared, dressed for the weather and rested.  Make sure that the truck is stocked with some food and water, as well as cold weather clothing and gear.   
  1. Make sure your vehicles are prepared.  Tires lose pressure in cold weather.  If chains are required, make sure they are carried.  Batteries fail in cold weather – test them now.  Make sure heaters work and ducts are not blocked.  Landing gears on your trailers are often overlooked – it’s not fun cranking a stiff landing gear in cold weather at 2 AM.  
  1. Fuel – never let trucks run low in the winter.  
  1. Make sure your drivers watch their mirrors for wet roads that suddenly stop throwing spray – that water just turned to ice.  With a keen ear, drivers can tell by tire noise on the pavement when roads start to freeze over.   
  1. In reduced traction conditions, every movement should be slow, well planned, and deliberate.  Braking, acceleration, gear changes, steering – all should be very smooth and slow.    
  1. Watch the other guy – people do the craziest things around big trucks.  Always assume the worst from the other driver – and then you can be pleasantly surprised when it does not happen.

About the Author

NEWS & REPORTS

THE DISCOVERY FALLACY

Doug Marcello The LEAD: Ignoring your data, fearing discovery in litigation, can be fatal to your company. The data is there. Plaintiffs will get it. You must proactively cumulate and analyze it to promote safety and proactively prepare to defend any potential suit....

Roadcheck is May 16 – Download the Inspection Guide

What can you expect duging any roadside inspectin - but especially during the annual Roadcheck blitz?  The inspectin guidelines are published and consistently used throughout North America. Download the guide here.

Preparing your drivers for deposition

Doug Marcello Your driver is to be deposed. They are to be thrust into a foreign world for which they have neither any experience nor concept. And out the other side of the process comes their “sworn testimony”, written in cement, as to the accident, training,...

Driver Survey Results

by David Hollis For the typical trucker who is in the driver's seat of their truck for most of their waking hours while on the road, having that seat be as comfortable as possible is a big deal. That's just one of the things we found out in our recent survey of what...

All 3G ELDs Do Not Comply with FMCSA Regs by 12/31/2022

Verizon is the last network to shut down their 3G network, the sunset date is December 31, 2022.  The other major networks shut down their 3G earlier this year. If you have an ELD system that relies on 3G to operate, it will no longer be compliant.  The carrier has 8...

CATEGORIES