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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Important Safety Advice to Observe While Working in a Bucket Truck!

Working at a job that requires performing tasks at great heights is one of the more risky types of employment. Of course, someone must do these jobs due to their great importance. Most people depend upon utilities such as electricity, telephone, cable and internet connections for their homes and businesses. The signals of these industries are frequently transmitted via overhead lines and cables.

With the aid of the bucket truck, the jobs of aerial workers have become much easier and safer. The trucks that are manufactured today for this profession are equipped with insulation to protect employees from live cables while working as well as many other safety features. Despite these added protections, the risk of falling from a bucket or being electrocuted by a live line is still possible if employees do not follow the required safety guidelines when working in a bucket truck.

Following are some of the important safety guidelines mandated by OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) that people employed doing this type of work need to closely follow to avoid such risks:

Only educated personnel should operate or ride in the lift.
Do not remove the safety belt or attach it to a nearby bar, building, or fixtures while performing work from a bucket.
Employees must always stand securely on the floor of the basket and should never sit or climb on the side or use any mechanism to extend the working height of the bucket.
A personal protective device in the form of a belt must be used and a line connected to the boom or bucket when performing any tasks from an aerial lift to provide secondary protection in case of a fall.
The weight of the employee and their equipment should not exceed the boom and bucket capacity limits established by the manufacturer to prevent injury to the workers and/or damage to the equipment.
Before the boom is set in an inclined position, the operator should make sure that the brake is engaged, wheel chocks are installed, and outriggers are deployed on a firm area along with their metal pads.
The bucket truck should never be relocated when the boom is raised in a position with employees in the basket, except for supplies that are specifically created for this type of undertaking.
For articulating boom and extendable boom platforms equipped with both basket-level and ground-level controls, the employee located in the bucket should take charge of controlling the aerial lift. The ground-level controls should not be used unless consent has been received from the worker inside the lift or in case of an emergency.
The design of the truck should never be altered or modified in any way as this may reduce the truck's overall safety.Performing a job inside a basket while 30 to 40 feet in the air is certainly a dangerous job; but it can be made less risky by following proper safety practices. It is important to observe these helpful safety guidelines while working from a bucket truck as it could mean the difference between life and death!

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

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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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