Five Trucker Road Safety Tips

Safety Tips

Working as a commercial truck driver may not be as dangerous as being a logger (#1) or commercial pilot (#3); but at #8 on Time magazine's list of The 10 Most Dangerous U.S. Jobs (click to view the infographic), driving a truck is no wimp job.

Dangerous Highways

Overall, workplace safety in the U.S. has improved dramatically over the past 20 years, but nearly half of all workplace fatalities involve transportation incidents. Truckers face a sobering 1 in 5 chance of being killed every time we hit the highway.

Driving a fully-loaded tractor-trailer is a difficult job that requires considerable expertise and experience. Truckers must balance scheduling demands against unpredictable car drivers, traffic snarls, highway construction and weather conditions.

Top Priorities: You and Your Truck

The challenges we face every day make safety is a top priority for commercial drivers. The two things that form the foundation of every safe ride are taking care of yourself and taking care of your truck. Never neglect good health and good maintenance.

Stay Safe on the Road

For a safe ride, follow TruckerToTrucker.com's road safety tips:

Check your load

Make sure cargo is properly loaded and well secured. Loading cargo in low stacks and spreading it evenly over the truck bed create a better balanced, safer load.

Slow down in work zones

Large trucks are involved in nearly a third of fatal work zone accidents.

Reduce speed on curves

Take a curve too fast and your rig could tip over. You may need to reduce speed well below posted limits.

Be weather wise

Slow down, change lanes cautiously and give other vehicles a wider berth when bad weather hits.

Watch blind spots

Most four-wheelers aren't aware of truck blind spots. Give other drivers plenty of warning when you change lanes.

Stay safe out there and come to TruckerToTrucker.com for the best deals on trucks and truck equipment.