Defensive Truck Driving Tips

Driving defensively can sound humiliating to some truck drivers, but the truth is that defensive driving makes a massive difference between getting involved in or preventing a terrible accident.

Many drivers drive pretty well, and a few others drive exceptionally. But a reckless or drunk driver can put even an exceptional driver in a vulnerable position when they cross paths.

 

We spend most of our day moving from one point to another, and while we do this, we come in contact with different kinds of drivers, and we can agree that not everyone behind the wheel can drive competently. If you are an experienced truck driver trying to advance your driving skill or you are new to truck driving, the tips you will get will go a long way in making you a defensive driver. But first, let's look at what defensive driving is.

 

What is Defensive Driving?

 

Defensive driving uses driving strategies that reduce risk, help prevent accidents, and foresee danger on the road. Mark Everard invented defensive driving to minimize accidents in a police pursuit. Defensive driving skills help you remedy irresponsible and careless behaviors, which can endanger the lives of other safe drivers like you. Defensive driving skills aren't more than simply using common logic to operate your car and being alert for early signs of danger coming up among the drivers around you.

 

The basic defensive driving skill will let you know how to avoid trouble when other drivers around you decide to do something silly.

 

 Driving defensively involves being on alert for any trouble you might come across. You might not be the cause of the trouble, you're only trying to defend yourself from the trouble caused by other drivers. The behavior of other drivers can put you at risk. But that is not the only challenge you might encounter on the road. Most accidents happen after sundown because darkness makes it harder to see. The roads can also throw you a curve, and downgrades can appear when you least expect them.

 

You never know when you may encounter a work zone, and pedestrians have a habit of popping up at the most inopportune times. Weather conditions can make you lose control while driving. Sometimes your vehicle may even break down. So the most effective way to defend yourself from all these is to have the adequate knowledge you need to cope with this situation.

 

Let's look at some tips on becoming an excellent defensive truck driver in order to ensure truck safety

 

 

TIP 1: PLAN AHEAD.

 

Defensive driving begins even before turning on your truck. Ensure you always take note of the weather condition to get adequate knowledge before hitting the road. Confirm from the news if there is traffic on the road or if the roads are closed. Many truck drivers' apps are available today. Please make sure you utilize them to plan the best route to take.

 

TIP 2: LOOK AT AT LEAST TWELVE TO FIFTEEN SECONDS AHEAD.

 

This tip works effectively because you will have enough time to make the proper decision as soon as you notice something coming up ahead. Professional truck driving experts teach drivers to look out for potential dangers by looking for a minimum of twelve to fifteen seconds ahead. Doing this will help you get more time to prepare for possible threats and decide how you will respond.

 

This is vital for large and heavy equipment vehicles like road trains and freight trucks because it is hard for them to maneuver as quickly as smaller vehicles.

 

TIP 3: ENSURE TO MAINTAIN A GOOD FOLLOWING DISTANCE.

 

Maintaining a safe distance between other drivers is one of truck drivers' most emphasized defensive driving tips. Truck drivers should maintain or should keep a following distance of:

• Five seconds when driving below 60kmph.
• Ten seconds when driving above 60kmph.
• Over ten seconds when driving on wet and sleepy roads.

This provides enough time to apply the brake and stop your car without hitting the car in front of you.

 

TIP 4: SCAN INTERSECTIONS BEFORE ENTERING.

 

When the red light stops you at an intersection, what most people do before pulling away is wait until the light turns green. Although this is not the wrong way to drive, the defensive driving technique involves one extra step before speeding away.

The first thing to do is to check your surroundings for pedestrians or cars that may ignore the red light (this is a widespread occurrence), and after doing this, you can enter the intersection.

 

TIP 5: AVOID ROAD RAGE SITUATIONS.

 

It is very easy to spot road rage drivers.

They drive aggressively, switch from one lane to another, and honk unnecessarily at different drivers.

Make sure you don't make eye contact with them or be involved in their driving behavior. Just let them have their way.

 

TIP 6: ADJUST YOUR SPEED ACCORDING TO SPECIFIC CONDITIONS.

 

A speed limit literally means to limit speed. You may have noticed that many drivers add 10 or 20 mph to their minimum speed limit.

However, if you want to drive defensively, your current driving environment must always dictate your speed limit, not the posted speed limit. Traffic, weather, vehicle type, visibility, road condition, and vehicle load should be factored in when determining the appropriate speed.

 

For example, if you have a heavy load in your truck that isn't guarded with a tarp and you're driving in the rain, your vehicle speed will be slower than when you're driving a lighter vehicle on a day without rainfall.

 

TIP 7: MINIMIZE REVERSING.

 

Did you know that vehicle reversing is the cause of most collisions?

Defensive driving involves avoiding circumstances that would lead to needless reversing. For example, picking a parking space that allows you to exit out the front will be better. If the only option is to reverse out of the space, ensure you carefully inspect your surroundings while signaling the people around you that you are about to reverse.

 

TIP 8: AVOID DISTRACTION.

 

Distracted driving has caused the most accidents among truck drivers. You may not even be distracted, but you can't say the same for other drivers. As a defensive driver, you must always maintain focus and not allow distraction from your cell phone or the temptation to adjust the radio or the air conditioner.

 

Being focused helps you keep your distance from other distracted drivers.

 

TIP 9: WEAR A SEATBELT.

 

The best chance you have of being in control of your truck if there is a collision is wearing a seatbelt.

Seat Belts help you avoid injuries and keep you on your seat in case of a collision to prevent head and spinal cord injuries.  It doesn't take more than 5 seconds to wear a seatbelt.

 

WHY DEFENSIVE DRIVING IS IMPORTANT.

 

Especially for commercial drivers (like truck drivers), defensive driving is beneficial in the following ways:

• It minimizes the chances of car accidents or injuries and fatalities caused by vehicle collisions.
• It drastically reduces the cost of insurance claims.
• The company's reputation increases as a result of the excellent driving of their safe drivers.
• It keeps you safe on the road and ensures truck safety.
• Minimizes the chances of the product being spoiled on the road.

 

Although it is impossible to influence the behaviors of other drivers on the road, keeping yourself safe while you drive is entirely up to you.

 

Driving defensively can mitigate the dangers you might encounter while driving, irrespective of the circumstance you meet on the road. You can reach your destination and keep yourself safe.