I haven't personally seen any snow yet, but the winter driving season is here. Chain laws for truck drivers are officially in effect, and the winter driving season means alot of important things to everyone out there on the road. Whether they are in a truck or a four wheeler, drivers need to remember that winter driving is different than the rest of the year. For the professional truck driver, this is nothing new, but for the new cdl holder, we felt like a quick run down on things to watch for would help.
- Four wheel drive pickups that think that just because they can go fast, they should
- Four wheelers who have never seen snow before and think that driving 5 mph is "risking it"
- Frozen brakes, air lines, jelled diesel fuel, & dead batteries
- skipping pre-trips because it's too cold out
- lost traction in parking lots and customer yards
Above are just a few of the many things to watch out for this winter season. Remember to pack some non-perishable foods to keep in your cab in case of a whiteout, blizzard, or other unpassable conditions. Roads can be shut down with little notice and having a granola bar or two can make that idle time a little easier to deal with when you don't know when you'll be able to move again. Keep your CB radio in good working order, make sure your APU has been serviced, and carry so fuel additive to keep your diesel from jelling. |
