Navigating Fall Weather on the Road

Trucking, whether it’s for a short trip or the long haul, is a year-round job. It’s important to know how to drive safely in many adverse weather conditions.

Trucking, whether it’s for a short trip or the long haul, is a year-round job. You might have seen the shows where truckers drive into extreme winter weather in the harshest and most remote areas of the country. Chances are that your new trucker job won’t take you there. But here are some tips for navigating the rough fall weather while you’re on the road.

Make Your Plans

First of all, make sure you know where you’re going, how to get there, and when you are expected to finish your route. Making your plans now can save you plenty of trouble later on. Check the weather forecast, and then check your truck to make sure everything is in working order, specifically your brakes and your tires.

Slow Down

Once you hit the road, keep to the lowest reasonable speed you can. In other words, slow down when the roads are wet. Even if the speed limit says 60, you should go at most 35. It doesn’t matter if other motorists behind you get upset. When rain, fog, snow, sleet, and ice make driving difficult, it’s harder for you to handle a truck than it would to handle a regular passenger car.

Be Careful When It Rains

Continue to exercise caution if it starts raining while you on the road. During the fall, you can expect rain almost every day, and all of that rain will mix with oil and grease on the road and create some unsafe conditions.

Use Your Lights

Use your lights as often as possible. This means you should use your low beams. Don’t forget about fog lights and hazard lights – these can help other drivers see you if you need to stop because the conditions are too difficult to drive in.

Don’t Change Your Lane

Lastly, don’t change your lane if you don’t need to; while it’s easy for a car or SUV to slide into a small gap, it will take longer for you to move your truck. Keep the right hand lane and use reflectors to help you see better.

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