Thursday, June 11, 2009

The State of the Roads and Truck Insurance

By Steve Turner

A good way to prevent having to use your truck insurance coverage is to be aware of the type of weather you will be traveling in. Surely you have experience driving in poor weather sometime in your trucking career. It is vital to understand how any inclement weather will affect the state of the roads that you are driving on and then in turn how you should respond to these conditions.

Before leaving for you trip be aware what the weather is going to be like along the route you are taking. Plan for alternate routes in case extreme weather make it dangerous to use the original. Also use your CB to talk with other truck drivers to get updates on the conditions of the roads ahead of you.

During rainy conditions, even light rain, be careful not to hydroplane. Even small amounts of water on the road can cause reduction in the traction of your tires by as much as 30%. If you do start to hydroplane, do not push on your brakes and be sure you are your steering straight until your feel your tires grab traction again.

Never drive on a flooded road. The force of the water flow could cause your trailer to jackknife or could even cause the whole rig to overturn. If you do find yourself in this situation, abandon your truck and get to higher ground for your safety.

If you see fog ahead on the road, slow down before you enter it. Be on the look out for slow moving or stopped vehicles, and be prepared to stop quickly. If the fog is too heavy and visibility to poor pull of the road as far to the right as possible and wait until the fog lifts to continue.

When traveling through snow or a blizzard be consious on any bridges or overpasses because they will freeze first. Keep a slow and steady pace and be cautious when using your brakes. The area that you will need to stop in icy conditions will be three to twelve times greater than normal, so maintain plenty of space between you and the next driver.

Do not try and outrun a tornado. If one is close to your route, abandon your truck and find shelter immediately. If shelter can not be found, lay in a ditch or depression.

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