Road Safety Maintaining control of your vehicle

Road Safety

Maintaining control Truck drivers constantly need to maintain control, to provide for the safety of: – the driver, – the product being shipped, – and all the other folks sharing the road.

Maintaining control The need for control: – Starting the vehicle – Accelerating – Steering, turning corners, crossing traffic – Shifting gears – Braking – When parked on the side of the road – Recognize potentially dangerous factors

Start-up Assuring a safe start: – Check yourself. How is your attitude? Are you rested? Feeling well? Properly dressed? – Perform a pre-check inspection to assure the vehicle is ready and safe to go on a trip. – Fasten your seatbelt. – Look all around the truck, check traffic, and focus on the roadway.

Accelerating Don’t roll back when you start: – You may hit someone behind you. Speed up smoothly and gradually so the vehicle does not jerk. – Rough acceleration can cause mechanical damage. – Rough acceleration can damage the coupling on a trailer. – Speed up very gradually when traction is poor, to avoid spinning.

Steering, turning corners Hold the wheel correctly: – Hold the wheel firmly, with both hands, positioned on opposite sides of the wheel. Space is needed to turn – Rear wheels follow a different path than the front wheels (called off tracking).

Steering, turning corners Other factors to consider when turning left, right, or crossing traffic: Off tracking: The rear wheels take a different path than the towing vehicle.

Steering, turning corners Right turns – Turn slowly to give yourself and others time to avoid problems. – Keep the rear of the truck close to the curb, to help prevent other drivers from passing on the right. – If you cannot turn without swinging into another lane, turn wide as you complete the turn.

Steering, turning corners Right turns – Do this:Not this:

Steering, turning corners Left turns: – Make sure you have reached the center of the intersection before you start the turn. If you turn too soon, the left side of the truck may hit another vehicle because of off tracking. – If there are two turning lanes, use the right-hand turn lane to allow for more turning area, and to avoid crashing into drivers on your right.

Steering, turning corners Left turns:

Steering, turning corners Cross traffic: – Consider the size and weight of your vehicle when you cross or enter traffic. – Leave a larger gap between you and the other cars than you would in a car. – Make sure you can get all the way across before traffic reaches you.

Shifting gears If you can’t get your vehicle into the right gear while driving, you lose control: – Know when to shift up: Use engine speed (RPM)-watch your tachometer and shift up when your engine reaches the top of the range – Know when to shift down: Before starting down a hill (usually lower than what you would use to go up that hill) Before entering a curve (be in a gear that will let you accelerate slightly in the curve)

Braking Three factors that affect total stopping distance: – Perception distance About ¾ second, equals 60 ft. at 55 mph – Reaction distance About ¾ second, equals 60 ft. at 55 mph – Braking distance About 4 ½ seconds, equals 170 ft. at 55 mph Add it up: 290 ft., about the distance of a football field

Braking The effect of speed on stopping distance: – Whenever speed is doubled, it takes about four times as much distance to stop, and your vehicle will have about four times the destructive power if it crashes. The effect of weight on stopping distance: – The heavier the vehicle, the more work the brakes must do to stop it & the more heat that it absorbs. – Empty trucks require greater stopping distance because they have less traction.

Driving in reverse Backing with a trailer: – Look at your path – Turn the steering wheel the opposite direction than you would when driving a car – Back slowly, correct any drift immediately – Use a helper whenever you can, and use the mirrors – Avoid backing whenever you can-it’s dangerous Try to park so that you can pull forward when you leave

When parked on the road If you need to pull to the side of the road: – Turn on the emergency blinkers – Put out your reflective triangles within 10 minutes About 100 feet behind and ahead – Place them within 10 ft, of the front & rear corners of the traffic side of the truck – Place them 100 ft behind & ahead of truck – Any hills, curves, or other obstructions? Place 500 feet ahead – A one way highway? Place 10, 100 and 200 ft. ahead

Danger potential Driving at night: – Vision: people can’t see as sharply at night – Glare: drivers can be blinded for a short time (With 2 seconds of glare blindness at 55 mph, a vehicle travels ½ the length of football field) – Fatigue: slows reaction time – Poor lighting: can be difficult or confusing to see – Drunk drivers: dangerous for everyone

Danger potential Driving in Winter: – Check coolant and antifreeze levels – Check defrosting / heating equipment, and wipers – Tires: assure enough tread, carry tire chains – Lights and reflectors: clean more often in Winter – Windows and mirrors: clean more often in Winter – Hand holds, steps and deck plates: de-ice – Slippery surfaces: start slowly & gently, drive slowly & smoothly, adjust space, turning & speed to conditions

Danger potential Driving in very hot weather: – Check tires mounting and air pressure every 2 hrs. (air pressure increases with temperature) – Check engine oil & engine coolant: helps keep engine cool – Make sure engine coolant hoses are in good condition – Engine belts: loose belts will not turn the water pump or fan properly – Watch for bleeding tar (very slippery) – Go slow enough to prevent overheating

Danger potential Driving in fog: – Obey all fog-related warning signs – Slow before you enter fog – Turn on all your lights (headlights on low beams) – Be prepared for emergency stops

Danger potential Mountain driving: – Going uphill, gravity slows you down – Going downhill, gravity causes increased speed – Use a low gear and use proper braking techniques – Go slow enough so your brakes can hold you back without getting too hot – If maximum safe speed it posted, respect it – Look for warning signs indicating the length and steepness of the grade

Summary Truck drivers constantly need to maintain control of the vehicle Accelerating, steering, turning corners, shifting gears, braking, driving in reverse, parking on the side of the road Recognize potentially dangerous situations Weather conditions, terrain, drunk drivers Adapted from The Best Home Study Guide for the Commercial Driver License Exam, by REA

Reflection How many of these factors are consistent with driving a car? Truck drivers look out for you, how can you look out for them? When you or someone in your family drives a car, what can you do to avoid becoming a potentially dangerous factor for a truck driver?