Staying safe as a HGV driver

You have finally started your dream job and become an HGV driver. You feel appreciated and important with the job you do, as so many industries rely on your delivery on time. However, are you aware of your responsibilities too? How well do you know how to drive safely as well as protect yourself while driving?

Prepare for the safe journey

Remember that before taking off you are obliged by law to do the daily vehicle checks. All elements that may affect the safety of other road users, as well as your own, should be considered, such as mirrors, liquid levels, suspension, tyres. Your daily walk-around should give you the certainty you can drive without causing danger.

Plan the route ahead

Planning the route ahead is another important part of preparing for a safe journey. You must know where you’re going, and when you will have to take some breaks. After all, you don’t want to check your sat nav impatiently while driving to find a place to park your truck for a break, or to try to find your destination on the go. Check the weather forecast too, as heavy rain or snow may have a  great impact on the time of your journey.

Secure your loads

Last but not least, the preparation process for the journey should focus on securing your loads in the trailer so that they’re well-balanced, and nothing can move around the trailer, causing it to swing or even fall, not to mention the damage to the loads itself.

Control the time of driving

There is no worse enemy of drivers on the road than the tiredness. It may cause you to react slowly, make bad decisions or even fall asleep while driving, leading to a disaster on the road. Driving an HGV means you will spend several hours at a time driving, so plan your breaks ahead. 

The amount of time spent to relax will depend on various conditions, yet it’s good practice to stop for 15 minutes every 3-4 hours to stay alert and concentrated on the road.

Be a responsible driver

One of the biggest distractors of modern drivers is the smartphone. Instead of keeping hands on the steering wheel, and the eyes on the road ahead, we tend to check our social media, send emails, or do the shopping online. Is staying up-to-date with the news from your friends really worth the life of other people driving in front of you?

Bear in mind your HGV is like a battering ram on the road in case of an accident. Don’t let yourself get distracted by music, phone calls or other unnecessary things you tend to do while driving. For a quality HGV company see EasyasHGV.

And remember, tailgating may help you save your fuel, yet, above all you should keep a safe distance between the front of the car you’re driving, and the back of the vehicle in front. You can’t expect when emergency braking is really necessary.

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Bear in mind your HGV is like a battering ram on the road in case of an accident. Don’t let yourself get distracted by music, phone calls or other unnecessary things you tend to do while driving. For a quality HGV company see EasyasHGV.

And remember, tailgating may help you save your fuel, yet, above all you should keep a safe distance between the front of the car you’re driving, and the back of the vehicle in front. You can’t expect when emergency braking is really necessary.