Trucking during the holidays – prepare for the winter driving conditions

Christmas is here and New Year’s Eve is around the corner. For most people this means taking a break from work and getting together with the family and relatives. However, for most truckers, the winter holidays are just another day on the road. Truckers work tirelessly to deliver all the goods that make the holidays possible. So if you say they are the real Santa – you will not be far from the truth.

Although the road can be less crowded and calmer than usual, during the holidays, one should always be prepared for the winter driving conditions. Take the time to review the following steps:

Lights must be on

Increase your visibility – this is helpful both to you and to the other traffic participants.

Forget the cruise control

If the roads are snowy or icy – do not use the cruise control as it can lead to an accident.

Be careful on the roads

Infrequently traveled roads, bridges and overpasses are the roads that freeze first when the temperatures drop. In wet conditions, you can encounter shady places or bridges with ice, even if the temperatures are not freezing. Be extremely careful on such hazardous roads, as they can be pretty punishing if you make a mistake. So forget about abrupt turns and sudden stops. Keep control on the vehicle at all times. If you truck has ABS brakes – do not pump them as it can lead to an accident

Be insured

The winter conditions can get pretty extreme, so take care of you truck insurance as soon as possible. All sorts of trucking-related accidents can happen on the icy holiday roads, some of them – out of your control. But your truck insurance is in your control. So if you are a rig owner or driver – you must know and understand how trucking insurance work, what is Non-Trucking Liability Insurance, Occupational Accident Insurance, Workers’ Compensation Insurance etc. Do what is best for you, your safety and your family.

Of course – don’t drive fast and don’t tailgate

The main reason for winter traffic accidents is driving too fast. Snowy and icy roads are not something you can ignore, just because you are driving a giant truck with heavy load. You are not invincible. Drive slowly, keep the pace and don’t tailgate – it is much harder to stop if the rad is snowy, so leave enough room between you and the vehicle in front – at least 4 vehicle lengths for every 10mph you are driving.

Keep your truck safe

We can’t stress this enough. But if you need more information about how to keep your truck safe during winter, you can check out our article on the topic.

Pay attention to the snow

Snow makes every maneuver harder to pull off. Try to anticipate what you next move is going to be – give your truck enough room to make a turn or stop. Do not rush the maneuver – take your time and keep it safe. Smoothly step on the brakes before making a turn, it is always best to enter a turn with a slower speed. Especially in winter.

So this is it – these are our tips for safe driving while trucking during the holidays. Have a happy holidays, stay sharp and stay safe.