Breakdown on the roads leads to an immense loss of monetary, time, and fiscal resources. If the trucks and machinery fail to deliver their services the clients have to wait for a longer duration of time periods and the deliveries become quite later than the scheduled timings. The safety of drivers and equipment becomes one of the leading problems. It is very important for truck drivers that they are acquainted professionally with handling their breakdown situations. You can go through FMCSA CMV driving tips anytime and get to learn more.

Safety Tips For Heavy Vehicle Drivers

The CMV breakdown of equipment can happen at any time without any warning, so it is better not to panic and handle the situation with ease and professionalism.

There is a time gap for the emergency assistance to arrive at the scene of the incident, so it is better that you know beforehand how to protect yourself and the equipment on the road.

Some of the safety driving tips for beginners are mentioned below:

Leave The Road

When you cognize the breakdown of your truck, it is better to find a safer place to park which might be a wide area or an emergency breakdown lane. The most important thing which needs to be controlled and checked is that the truck is out of the busy traffic lanes so that vehicles can easily surpass your vehicle. If the vehicle is parked by the side of the road or in the emergency lane, the traffic can continue to pass with a regular demeanor and any sort of accident can be avoided. This way roadside assistance can also arrive at the scene of the incident faster.

Visibility Of The Truck And Trailer

When the incident happens, take adequate security measures so that the truck is visible enough for other drivers and traffic on the road. It is better to activate the parking lights and hazard lights. Till the time the emergency assistance arrives at the scene, you can raise the hood and check what could be the reason for the breakdown. You can safely put the triangles outside of the truck. These measures can significantly support bringing the notice of other drivers and traffic about your presence. This can also help emergency assistance in locating you more quickly.

Always Leave Your Truck Carefully

When the incident happens, always leave your truck carefully. It is always better to leave through a passenger side door to avoid any incident with the ongoing traffic. In case, the engine starts smoking it is better to get as far away from the truck as possible. If the situation seems to be out of control, you need to immediately call 911 for alerting the fire department, so that they can arrive at the incident scene timely.

Rapidly Contact The Emergency Breakdown Service

When you have safely managed to park the truck, it is better to contact emergency roadside assistance promptly. Stay in communication with your dispatcher about the location of the incident, so that they can inform the technicians and mechanics to arrive at the scene and fix your vehicle. In case, the temperatures are below the freezing point, contact 911 for the ensured personal safety.

Maintain Adequate Distance From The Road

A truck breakdown can happen at any given point in time and it is better not to get hit by the ongoing traffic. It is always better to main an adequate distance from the traffic and the road.

Suggested Distances For The Reflective Warning Triangles

• It is better to place the warning triangles on the left-hand side of the vehicle.
• For lighter trucks, the driver must place the warning triangles 50-100m both in the front end and rear end of the truck.
• For heavier trucks (GVM of 12 tons or more), the warning triangles must be placed for 200-250 m in front and behind and at the side of the rear of the truck.

Utah Truck Driving School Will Ensure Your Safety

The breakdown can happen at any given point in time, if you feel unsafe, it is better to proceed with caution by following all these tips for drivers. It is always precautionary to contact police, when necessary to avoid a hazardous situation. Therefore, if the equipment and machinery are maintained properly any kind of breakdown can be prevented. At Utah Truck Driving School, a trusted CDL training school one can train himself and receive the best knowledge before beginning their professional career in the dynamic national trucking industry.