Truckers typically spend eight or more hours a day, five days or more a week on the road. By definition, they are also driving larger than average vehicles during this time. Therefore, the dangers transportation factoring truckers face while on the road are multiplied and truckers are often involved in some of the worst accidents on roadways.
Weather is one of the most common obstacles on the road. Precipitation, such as rain, hail, sleet, and snow can make road conditions slippery and make it easier for truckers and surrounding drivers to lose control of their vehicles. Precipitation also affects visibility. Fog is another weather occurrence that affects visibility. Then, there are weather conditions that kick upwind. Some winds are strong enough to blow light vehicles across a road. Extreme cold and extreme heat can cause issues like overheating, which can leave vehicles stranded, or black ice, which can send even the most experienced truckers careening off the road. The most harrowing concern for experienced truckers is other drivers. Everything can be going fine — perfect weather, smooth roads, limited traffic — and then another driver can carelessly cause an accident. Watching out for the actions, reactions and lack of actions taken by other drivers is key to safe truck driving. Poor road conditions are not always caused by weather. In many cases, it is caused by a lack of attention to road damage by local authorities. Potholes, pitting, careless roadwork, excess sand and much more can lead to loss of control and vehicular damage. Of course, truckers have to watch out for signs cautioning drivers against reckless driving where these obstacles are present. However, there are not always signs, so it is important to keep an eye on the road as well.
In many areas, animals are not much of a problem. For example, in cities, the biggest animals likely to wander into the road are domestic pets. While it is not enjoyable to have a collision with one of these animals, it is typically not a danger to drivers. In rural areas, animals are much more of a problem. Livestock such as cows and wildlife such as moose cannot only cause a trucker to lose control, they can also cause severe damage if a collision occurs.
It is important for truckers to identify the potential dangers and always to be on the lookout for them. They need to stay alert and always make sure their equipment is safe.
