Safety Rules for Protecting Truck Drivers While on the Road

Truck drivers are instrumental in transporting merchandise cross-country from one area to another. Without them, the economy would virtually come to a stop. The high number of truckers on the road makes safety a primary issue, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration or FMCSA strives to keep them as safe as possible by implementing safety rules and regulations. All truckers need to consider road safety as a job requirement, and avoid situations that put safety in question. One of the primary reasons for semi accidents is driver fatigue.

The wages of a driver translates into deadlines and quotas, so many tend to stay behind the wheel too long without rest. Law regulates the hours of driving time and the hours of rest required for a trucker. Drivers are required to keep logbooks with back up receipts as a means of enforcement. Some truckers circumvent or falsify the records because the faster they move cargo the more money they make. However, most of them realize the importance of safety on the job. In order to overcome fatigue some drivers use prescription drugs, over the counter medications or other types of stimulants to stay awake.

Instead of avoiding the problem, drugs compound the problem decreasing safety, so laws require motor carrier companies to randomly drug test their employees. A distracted driver is dangerous to everyone on the road. Sending a text or internet surfing, watching DVDs, or attempting to operate a laptop while driving, causes many accidents. Although truckers spend many hours in their rigs, they should not become comfortable enough to entertain themselves in this manner. Vehicle maintenance is high on the list of controllable causes of accidents.

Fluids, hoses and tires need checked every time the vehicle stops to fuel. Tires need examined closely due to the time spent on the road along with the changing weather conditions a tractor-trailer can encounter during one delivery. Brakes are another controllable reason for accidents caused by mechanical failure. Trucks have to rely heavily on their braking system, especially in mountainous terrain. Slowing a truck with a full load, going down a steep incline puts extensive stress on the system. Truckers know that driving a big rig is much different than driving a car with a bigger chance of causing injury or death in an accident.

Unsafe truck driving practices should not exist. A semi cannot react as quickly as a car in any situation. It takes longer to increase and decrease speed and takes more room at intersections to make a turn. The trucks blind spot is larger than the one on a car and speeding increases the already lengthy reaction time. A load of shifting weight exaggerates the movements of a truck, so extra caution needs observed when hauling shifting cargo. Every action that puts a car at risk of an accident also puts a truck at risk with possibly tragic results.

As with any motor vehicle on a public roadway, the person driving a semi must always be aware of other motorists that are inattentive or reckless. Watching out for other unsafe drivers can often prevent accidents. Those who transport cargo, whether local or long distance are responsible for evenly distributing the weight as much as possible and safely securing their load. The use of tie downs straps and tarps help obtain this goal.

Drivers need to make a concerted effort to get sufficient rest, eat right, and get physical exercise to maintain a level of physical fitness that assists in staying mentally alert. In an accident, truck drivers are at risk of serious injury or death, so seat belts should be in use and a fire extinguisher kept in the cab of the truck. Driving tractor-trailers takes skill and carries a huge responsibility with it, so no one should ever consider it a routine job. Regular use of safety precautions tops the list for doing it successfully.

When a large truck crashes with a passenger-sized automobile, the results are often catastrophic. Even a minor impact from a semi truck accident will result in a huge impact on a passenger vehicle. Huge impact equals serious, sometimes permanent, injuries. Maryland injury lawyers will make sure that you and your family gets the reimbursement that you deserve. If you've been injured by a tractor trailer, call a Maryland truck accident attorney today.

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Rules of the Road - Safety Rules for Truck Drivers!

Safety is an important concern especially when driving large commercial trucks such as a used bucket truck. Any massive truck leaves a very small margin for error and when accidents do happen, the result can be extensive both in injury and physical damage.

After years of scrutinizing accidents involving commercial vehicles, the causes of accidents can be narrowed down to three basic categories: operator error, vehicle malfunction and poor road conditions.

Operator Error - The first and most common cause of accidents is driver error. This includes reckless driving, speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, and negative behavior that complicates the driver's performance.
Vehicle Malfunction - The second cause of accidents is a malfunction of the vehicle itself. The most common culprit for this cause is brake failure followed by unsecured cargo.
Poor Road Conditions - The third on the list is bad road conditions. Conditions such as slippery roads during winter, roads with pot holes and roads under constructions can also trigger accidents.

Keeping all commercial trucks safe means avoiding conditions that could likely lead to road accidents. Following are some measures related to the above categories that a truck driver can take to reduce the likelihood of accidents and increase safety on the highways.

Attitude - Because the driver maintains overall control of the vehicle, that person's attitude greatly influences the overall performance of the vehicle and its safety. Consider the following recommendations:

Stick to the basics - Drivers should always follow the basic rules of traffic. This is the most straightforward way to avoid road collisions. This includes following the speed limit, driving in the proper lane, and using proper signals.
Don't drink and drive - Drinking alcoholic beverages reduces the driver's level of alertness and response time, thus limiting driver performance. The same goes with taking prohibited drugs. Even a commonly taken drug, when driving, has the potential to interfere with a driver's judgment and focusing ability.
Maintain a positive mood - The driver's mood is projected on the way that person handles the vehicle. As much as possible, operators should always maintain a cool head despite the normal driving pressures.

Truck Reliability - Performance plays a huge role in safety. Sudden break-downs and malfunctions can easily lead to accidents. It is always important to keep the truck in the best possible condition to prevent accidents from happening related to vehicle performance. Following are some suggestions for vehicle care:

Follow a maintenance schedule - Like every other vehicle, trucks have a required maintenance schedule to follow. Manufacturers have already determined which parts are prone to wear-and-tear as well as an appropriate maintenance schedule. Failure to follow the scheduled maintenance and replacement of parts could affect the truck's performance and safety.
Perform pre-driving inspection - Drivers should always make a quick inspection on the important parts of the truck before driving to ensure the vehicle is in good condition. Prior to operating, drivers should inspect the tires for over or under inflation. The air pressure on each tire should be balanced and suitable for the load normally carried. Brakes should also be checked to ensure that they generate required stopping power.
Secure cargo - Accidents can also occur due to unsecured cargo as well as overloading. Before transporting cargo, always make sure that the weight of the load is well within the vehicle's capacity. It is also important to make sure that the cargo is secured and distributed properly to achieve good load balance and prevent any shifting of the load while driving.

Bad Weather and Road Conditions - Poor weather and bad road conditions can make driving dangerous. If driving during these conditions is necessary, always make sure that the truck is properly equipped with the right tools. During winter season, always have tire chains handy in case the road gets covered with snow. Make sure all the necessary lights are working if there is low visibility. When dealing with pot holes and unpredictable roads, the best thing a driver can do is to slow down in order to have more time to react if something goes wrong.

When operating a commercial truck, always remember that safety should be at the top of every priority list. The truck being driven should be maintained in top-notch shape. A driver should always be well rested before driving any vehicle. Make sure to perform a routine inspection on the truck before driving. Follow all the rules of the road. By putting safety at the top of the list, dangerous and costly mistakes on the road that could lead to an accident can be prevented!

Christopher M. Hunter is an expert in commercial specialty trucks. Click here to find out more about Used Bucket Trucks.

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Truck Drivers, What Makes A Good Truck Stop?

Having a truck driving job means you will eventually have to rest at a truck stop at some time or another. There are hundreds of fueling centers across the nation, some better than others. So how do you know which truck stop to go to? To help truck drivers find good and safe places to rest, veteran truck drivers have provided tips on how they find good locations.

The top aspect most truckers look for in a truck stop is cleanliness. If there are overflowing garbage cans and litter on the parking lot, it would be a good idea to move on to the next place. You might also want to take a look at the state of the showers. Are they in good repair? Do they look as if they are cleaned regularly? Traits such as these can show how much care is going into a place and are good signs as to the safety of the facility.

Another aspect to look for in truck stops is security. Does the parking area have adequate lighting? Take note of how many cameras are at the stop, if any, and if there are security guards that patrol the area. Doing a brief overview of the people at the truck stop is also an important security measure. If you see a lot of vagrant people walking around during the day, you can only assume the numbers will double during the night.

Veteran truck drivers also mentioned the size of the parking area is important. If the parking lot is small, and has small parking spaces it is usually good to try and find another area. The reason of this is that small parking areas cause crowding and small parking spaces make it harder to maneuver your truck.

Gas prices are also a large factor in deciding on a truck stop. If the gas prices of a particular truck stop are more expensive than the surrounding areas, you'd probably be able to drive a little further and find a truck stop with a more reasonable price. It is also good to check the quality of the pumping area. If there are a lot of spills, you might want to try finding somewhere else or you will probably be smelling gasoline all night.

These are a few simple pointers from truck drivers on how to choose a good truck stop. Some others include surrounding stores, restaurants and the quality of the food, kindness of staff, and the quality of the roads in and around the location.

A truck driving job takes concentration and a certain level of alertness. Being able to rest in an environment where you feel safe is no little matter. Using the tips in this article you will hopefully be able to avoid chancy truck stops and get the rest you need.

BIGrigdave

Web Coordinator with CR England Trucking Inc, If you or someone you know is looking for information about a new career or your looking for a Truck Driver Job please visit us at our website.

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Truck Drivers Benefit From Mobile Phone Application

In these days of advanced technology, so many applications have been and continue to be invented not only for computers but even for mobile phones. Fortunately, a lot of people belonging to the different segments of society, whether private individuals and professionals, are also benefiting from these technologies including the truck drivers.

For sure, many of you are very familiar with mobile phone applications. With these so-called apps, a mobile phone user can do more than just send text messages and make phone calls using the gadget.

For professional truck drivers, there's a specific application now that allows them to locate a variety of resources they need on a daily basis. Known as the resource page, this is part of an iPhone application called Trucker. This app was designed to meet the needs of drivers managing huge vehicles by way of providing vital information. These data are on the lowest fuel prices, truck repair services, weather updates, trucking industry news, legal forms, traffic alerts, truck wash locator, health insurance program, official government trucking links, mileage calculator, truck stop locator, weigh scale and freight locator, job finder, trucking forums and emergency links among others.

Apart from the important information, however, the Trucker application also provides resources for entertainment as well. There are trucking videos, trucking songs and even a blog talk radio. This will allow drivers to relax and be entertained for awhile as they're waiting for their next load delivery or pick-up.

This iPhone app is indeed very helpful to truck drivers. For instance, those experiencing problems with their truck in the middle of a road can easily find help by using the repair services locator. Those who follow the news won't be left behind as well as they can be updated while cruising on highways.

A truck driver who wants to get traffic information in the area of his destination could also utilize the traffic alerts feature. In addition, those who want to learn more about government regulations can get the official links to sites such as the U.S. Department of Transportation as well as the FMCSA, its rules and regulations page, hours of service regulations, FMCSA general notices.

Apple's iPhone Trucker application is being updated every day so professional drivers can be sure to get fresh content on a daily basis. The best part is that the drivers themselves can give suggestions and ideas as to what other information they would like to see. The manufacturing company will then screen these ideas and if they approve of your suggestion, the information will be added to the existing list.

With this app, you don't even have to bring a laptop because you can get all the information you need by just using your mobile phone. Another positive side to this application is it allows truck drivers to interact with their fellow drivers through discussion boards. The interaction is not limited to words because photos can also be submitted for sharing with other users.

Apple has made great leaps for years now with its innovations and today, it has made truck driving a less lonely job with its Trucker app.

For great information on CDL training schools, visit Truck-School.com

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