Dur-A-Guard - Truck Guards for Pedestrian Safety
Dur-A-Guard - Truck Guards for Pedestrian Safety
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Trucking is the backbone of nearly every industry in the country and across the world. Truck drivers give up countless hours and put themselves at risk to keep many industries afloat. That said, trucking comes along with many safety concerns.

Extreme fatigue and distractions are among the biggest trucking safety concerns. You can avoid these hazards if you stick to the break regulations and eliminate distractions in your truck. It’s essential to maintain a consistent feed, avoid frequent lane changes, and frequently check your mirrors while trucking.

There’s a good chance that the other drivers on the road aren’t aware of the 10-15-foot blind spots that truck drivers have. Follow along as we explore the top trucking safety concerns and highlight how to avoid them.

What Are the Biggest Safety Hazards in Trucking?

1. Stopping Distance

Stopping distance is a major safety concern in the trucking industry. Commercial trucks often weigh up to 80,000 pounds, and they need a large stopping distance. Failure to stop in time can result in dangerous and deadly collisions whether you’re on the interstate or city street.

Truck drivers typically need at least 525 feet to stop in time when driving 65 miles per hour. That is 165 feet longer than the length of a football field. You understandably don’t always get that much time when you must stop unexpectedly.

That’s why it’s important to always keep your distance and avoid tailgating. Between the weight, stopping distance, and reduced visibility, you cannot safely follow too close behind other vehicles on the road.

2. Poor Road Conditions

Professional truck drivers must often navigate roads during poor weather conditions. Rain and snow not only reduce visibility but also create slick roads. This becomes especially hazardous when you must drive on roads you’ve never navigated before.

Wet roads can even double your stopping distance in extreme cases. That’s why you must reduce speed and put distance between yourself and others on the road. This is the best way to avoid collisions and rollovers.

3. Distracted Driving

As recently as 2022, distracted driving killed 3,308 drivers in the United States. Whether it be texting, eating, drinking, or updating a navigation system, distracted driving is dangerous. The best way to avoid distracted driving is to take care of everything you must do before you hit the road.

Don’t get tempted to immediately respond to texts and calls while you’re hauling tens of thousands of pounds. This will make it much harder to stop in time when an unexpected traffic incident arises. You simply cannot process your surroundings if you’re focused on something else.

4. Sleep Deprivation

Fatigued driving is often considered as dangerous as drunk driving, and it’s with good reason. In 2022, fatigued driving was responsible for 693 deaths. This is a major concern for commercial truck drivers who navigate long routes and work long hours.

You must follow the service hours regulations as a commercial truck driver. They dictate when you must take breaks as well as how long you can safely drive. These regulations exist for the safety of truck drivers as well as other drivers on the road.

5. Blind Spots

Blind spots are unavoidable for commercial truck drivers, and they require proactive driving tactics. The 10-15-foot blind spots in front of, behind, and on your sides can be dangerous. It’s incomparably important to frequently check your mirrors when trucking.

This lets you keep track of your surroundings and drive defensively. Other drivers may not be aware of your blind spots, so it’s your responsibility to be proactive.

6. Tight Turns

It’s no secret that turning is one of the most important things to learn when you take CDL classes. The high center of gravity and vast length of commercial trucks mean that wide turns are necessary. Commercial trucks often have a turning radius of 25 to 60 feet.

This is difficult to achieve unless you give yourself enough time and space to do so. Check your blind spots and give yourself extra time before performing a wide turn while trucking.

7. Poor Planning

Trucking requires careful planning and research. For example, you may embark on a route you’ve traveled countless times and think you have it down. However, there may be closures, construction, and weather conditions you’ve never encountered.

That’s why you must check the weather and road conditions before you hit the road. You can’t even always rely on a navigation system to provide accurate information. Refer to news outlets and local broadcasting instead.

8. Unsecured Cargo

Failure to secure your cargo is hazardous to you and everyone else on the road. You must follow the procedure whether you’re securing a flatbed load or a refrigerated shipment. Carefully secure and cinch your load, then check it before you start driving.

9. Falling Behind on Maintenance

Routine maintenance is critical when trucking. You must stay up to date on basic maintenance every 10,000 to 20,000. It’s just as important to familiarize yourself with truck maintenance as it is to learn safe trucking practices.

Whether it be replacing air filters, changing the oil, or adding coolant, you must stay on top of maintenance. It’s also important to regularly check the tire tread, fluid levels, and braking system.

10. Situational Incidents

Trucking entails sharing the road with countless other drivers, pedestrians, and even animals. That’s why you must constantly observe your surroundings in case of situational incidents. The long stopping distance of trucks makes this critical.

For example, you must quickly react to a deer that runs across the road. Similarly, you must look out for stopped cars and crashes. It’s also critical to perform a 360-degree check before reversing.

11. Unfamiliarity With Your Delivery Area

You may think all is well because you encountered no safety concerns while driving to your destination. However, delivery areas are just as hazardous as the open road if you aren’t familiar with the location. It’s worth the time and effort to park your truck and check out the delivery location before you pull the truck up.

That’s especially true when delivering to a location you haven’t been before. Find a temporary parking spot if possible and carefully inspect the location. This lets you watch out for road hazards, tight turns, and obstructions that could hinder a safe delivery.

12. Erratic Driving

You don’t have as much freedom when it comes to driving patterns while trucking as you would in a sedan. Sure, you can frequently change lanes and adjust your speed in a standard passenger vehicle. However, that is quite dangerous while trucking, especially if you don’t check your surroundings.

Only change lanes when necessary, such as avoiding stopped vehicles and dangerous road hazards. Try to drive at the same speed for as long as possible unless a stop is coming up. Adjusting your speed too often and passing drivers can cause traffic congestion and endanger other drivers.

Protect Pedestrians and Drivers Alike With Dur-A-Guard

Pedestrian injuries and casualties are among the top trucking safety concerns. At Dur-A-Guard, we offer a solution to protect pedestrians and provide truck drivers with peace of mind. It’s never too late to become a part of the solution. Call Dur-A-Guard at (908) 688-0800 to equip your trucks to safely navigate city streets and highways alike.