Driving in Bad Weather Conditions: Safety Tips for Truckers
Trucking is a challenging business, and sometimes Mother Nature can literally rain on your parade, thus, you should know how to handle it.
Your safety is number one priority, no cargo worth a life. We’ve gathered some good advice you should follow if you stuck in a dangerous weather situation on the road.
High Temperatures
Many similar driving tips are focused on cold weather issues, forgetting about the dangers of extreme heat. And heat can damage your health hard enough as well as your truck.
The heat will lead to dehydration, sometimes heat strokes, which are dangerous while you are driving. Dehydration, even mild one, affects cognitive ability and mood. Overheating for several days affects your internal organs and cardiovascular system.
High temperature causes engine overheat, tire melting, and spoilage of products inside the reefer trailer.
Stay hydrated and always use AC. If the heat is awful, consider changing your driving hours. Better drive at night when it’s cooler outside.
Strong Wind
Strong wind can easily blow a semi off the road, even if you are loaded. An exception can be a heavy load, but you need to be 100% sure that your truck and load can handle strong wind.
If you carry the regular or light load, it’s better to park somewhere safe and wait. In cases where you must drive despite the wind, you better have a tight grip on the wheel and ride fast enough to feel comfortable. Keep the distance on the road because wind can blow your rig out of your lane.
Tornado
Don’t even think about driving, just don’t. If you have heard the warning – better wait
Dust Storm
See the dust storm – stop driving. Dust storms are unpredictable and can close down the road in a blink of an eye.
If you stuck in a dust storm, pull the truck to the roadside, close windows, turn off outside vents, and protect the truck’s inner workings from the sand. Also, protect your airways from dust and sand as well.
Heavy Rain
When you meet a light rain, slow down a bit to avoid hydroplaning.
In cases with heavy rain that impacts the visibility, pull off and wait till the rain stops. Semi is hard to stop, add low visibility plus hydroplaning and you’ll get a deadly combo.
Our recommendation for you is always checking weather forecasts and installing weather app on your phone or tablet. Don’t risk your life by going on the road while Mother Nature shows her rage. The best decision is to wait until the weather is fine to go. Take care of yourself.
