If you’re a semitruck driver, you know that you carry a heavy responsibility every time you get on the roadway. Your vehicle is hundreds of times heavier than the average car. It’s also exponentially slower, harder to maneuver and more difficult to slow it down. In fact, a semitruck at the hands of an irresponsible truck driver is a fatal and catastrophic accident waiting to happen.
Here are two things you’ll want to keep in mind to help avoid an accident:
Take plenty of rest breaks: The longer you’re behind the wheel, the more likely you’ll get spaced out and be less attentive. When you take frequent breaks at rest stops, get out of your truck, stretch and move around, you’ll be more attentive and less likely to get into a crash.
Set up your truck cab the right way: Make sure that you consider the ergonomics of how you adjust your steering wheel, how high your seat is and the way you’ve positioned your backrest. You want to feel comfortable and unrestricted so that you’re less likely to get cramped and in pain. A driver in pain is a distracted driver who becomes more concerned about how he or she feels, and gradually, less attentive to the road.
You’ve no doubt been trained in a variety of safety practices to help prevent accidents; however, it’s always good to brush up on your safety skills. If you were hurt in a truck-related accident due to no fault of your own — whether you were a truck driver or another motorist or passenger — the law may be on your side. Investigate more about your legal rights and options under Washington personal injury law.
Source: Monster, “Truck Driver Safety Tips,” accessed Feb. 07, 2018
