Truck Driver Safety Tips to Minimize Risks

Commercial truck driving is one of the most dangerous jobs someone can have, and anyone working in the trucking industry is probably not surprised by this. Truckers are not only at risk for equipment-related injuries but also susceptible to injuries such as accidents and collisions, which is where semi-truck insurance can be beneficial to trucking companies.

In this article, we’ve put together a list of nine of the best truck driver safety tips to help your drivers avoid risks while on the road.

Continue below to discover more and find out how we can help you find cheap commercial insurance for your commercial trucking company today.

9 Truck Driver Safety Tips

Here are nine great truck driver safety tips to keep your fleet safe.

Perform Regular Maintenance on Your Truck

Investing in quality truck maintenance is essential because your truck isn’t contributing to the success of your business if it isn’t working. Fleet maintenance is necessary to keep your vehicles safe and reliable for lengthy periods of time on the road.

Because you’re keeping an eye on your vehicle’s health, it also helps you prevent costly repairs and downtime, such as a worn-down steering wheel, blind spots caused by cloudy mirrors, unresponsive brakes, and worn-out tires all of which can contribute to catastrophic road accidents.

Waiting for things to break down is significantly more expensive than knowing when to replace them through appropriate fleet maintenance and can help keep your business run more smoothly.

Stay Healthy

Truck driving is a psychologically and physically demanding job, so being healthy is essential for safe driving.

A weary driver will not respond as quickly on the road as one who is well-rested, which can be the difference between avoiding an accident and being the cause of one. Be mindful that a lack of sleep the night before can lead to poor road focus.

Distracted driving is just as deadly whether the driver cannot focus on the road due to weariness or talking on the phone or texting while driving.

If you’re exhausted, pull over to the side of the road and take a quick nap. Attempting to overcome tiredness is futile, and falling asleep on the road has far more serious repercussions than being late.

Keep an Eye Out for Blind Spots Around the Truck

Trucks have greater blind spots than smaller cars due to their size. These areas could be to the side, behind the side mirrors, or directly behind the truck. Many automobile drivers are unaware of the truck constraints that must be considered when driving trucks.

In the end, it is the truck driver’s obligation to navigate through traffic with greater caution than the average vehicle driver in order to avoid an accident.

Alert Other Drivers of Your Driving Intentions

Maintain a clear and early notice to other vehicles that you are about to turn into a bend, and always remember to slow down before coming to a complete halt.

Other drivers are unaware of how long it takes a truck to come to a complete stop, so seeing the brake lights early will help avoid an accident.

Be sure to keep lane changes to a minimum because trucking has a lot of blind spots, check your mirrors every seven or eight seconds, and always activate your flashers when driving slower than the speed limit requirement—due to a heavy load or severe weather.

Prepare in Advance for Long Drives

Despite the fact that long-haul trucking requires long hours of driving and significant levels of frustration, it’s vital that you prepare in advance.

To maintain your awareness, take frequent pauses and get out of the truck, wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing if you will be sitting for lengthy amounts of time, and always be sure to recognize when you’re tired and need to pull off into the next rest stop.

Conduct Regular Safety Training

Many businesses require continuous training to keep employees up-to-date with the latest knowledge and ensure that they are well-prepared for their job duties. Truck safety training should be approached in the same way.

Making safety training mandatory, even for seasoned truck drivers and technicians, to demonstrate your commitment to their safety is essential.

There are numerous ways to include safety training in your company, such as creating an accident prevention plan, providing safe driving tips, having monthly meetings, and performing investigations into prior or recent events.

Purchase Safety Equipment

Knowing the appropriate information isn’t enough to keep your drivers safe on the road, as they will also require tools and safety equipment in addition to experience and awareness in the event that the unthinkable occurs.

There are numerous types of safety tools and equipment available, all of which are designed to safeguard drivers from accidents by boosting visibility, while others provide the assistance they require in the driver of an emergency or highway road.

For truck driving in various road conditions, hard hats, high visibility workwear, hand protection gear, traction devices, and warmers are critical. Fire extinguishers and first-aid kits should always be readily available to drivers, as well.

Conduct Routine Safety Inspections

The need to follow safety inspections is the next safety guideline for truck drivers. Even the most advanced truck needs to be inspected for any potential problems that could result in a catastrophic occurrence on a regular basis. 

Mechanical engineering is often required for large trucks, commercial vehicles, and all other modes of transportation to function correctly.

While safety inspections might be time-consuming, the benefits they provide to your trucking company outweigh the time commitment. Routine safety inspections should be performed before and after each use of the vehicle. 

Monthly, quarterly, and annual detailed safety inspections should also be scheduled. You might also want to consider creating a safety checklist that includes all areas that must be covered.

Hire a Safety Manager

Last but not least, truck driver safety demands a team effort from everyone, which means it’s critical that you push toward teamwork and collaboration from everyone in your organization. 

Hire a certified safety manager to monitor your safety activities if your budget allows. If your resources are limited, delegate the assignment to a trustworthy employee or divide it between two well-trained individuals.

A safety manager’s primary responsibility is to ensure that truck drivers adhere to all applicable laws and regulations, provide helpful tips for truck drivers, and keep track of road safety reports. 

Similarly, the safety manager should review your current insurance policy to see if there are any gaps that could result in expensive lawsuits. Additionally, they will usually work with insurance carriers to coordinate policies that relate to your company.

Level up your parking skills on the road! Discover crucial parking hacks truck drivers should be familiar with in our safety-focused blog post. Enhance your risk-minimizing strategies today.

Find Cheap Commercial Insurance Today with Strong Tie Insurance

When it comes to the commercial trucking industry, the safety of your drivers is equally as crucial as the delivery of the goods they are transporting. If you need assistance finding cheap commercial insurance for your commercial fleet, Strong Tie Insurance is ready to help.

For the past 20 years, Strong Tie Insurance has assisted commercial transportation companies with their commercial truck insurance, and our team of professionals is ready to help make your job easier so that you can focus on the most important areas of your commercial trucking business.

Exploring ways to enhance road safety? Dive into our blog post for actionable insights that keep you safe on the road. Your journey to safer roads starts here.

To receive a free commercial truck insurance quote and learn more about how we can help you choose the coverage that’s right for you, contact us at Strong Tie Insurance today.