Charlotte Haye 23rd November 2017

Safety Tips For Your HGV This Winter

When you’re driving something so big, it can be easy to forget just how dangerous the roads can be, especially in winter. But all across the country, people are depending on you to deliver their Christmas presents in time for Santa, so you need to make sure you reach your destination safely. To help you navigate the tricky roads this December, we have a few safety tips for you.

Be Prepared

Before you even set foot in your cab, you need to make sure you’re prepared for every kind anything. Because the weather in the UK can change without a seconds warning, you could easily start your journey in chilly sunshine and end it in sleet and hail. So a key thing is to prepare a kit that includes:

De-icer or an ice scraper
A shovel and a bag of salt
Jump leads
A torch
A high visibility jacket and hazard triangles
A warm blanket and warm, dry clothes
Long-life food and water
At least half a tank of fuel at all times

Do Your Checks

It goes without saying that you should be doing your regular vehicle checks on every journey to make sure your HGV is running correctly and safely. But in winter, you will need to adjust your regular check routine to incorporate some winter safety concerns. Most importantly, you should check your:

Tyres for wear, pressure and balance
Battery power and charging system
Windscreen wipers are working and free from ice and snow
Fluid levels are topped up
Lights are fully functional
Exhaust to ensure it’s clear of snow, ice or debris build-up
Defrosters, to ensure they’re all working

Keep An Eye On The Weather

Weather forecasts might not be 100% accurate all the time, but at least it keeps you informed. Make sure you have weather apps installed on your phone, with alerts enabled to keep you up to date. Check the weather before you leave for all the stops along your route, as well as the weather in your final destination. As an HGV driver, the weather is one of those aspects of your job you just can’t afford to ignore.

Drive Carefully

I know this seems a bit obvious, but in winter weather you should always drive more carefully. Even in the weather looks clear, there could still be ice on the roads that can cause a real problem for a vehicle as big as yours. Wet, compacted leaves for one, patches of ice, sudden rains and more can cause serious accidents. In fact, 17% of all vehicle crashes occur during the winter months. So make sure you are driving slower, allowing extra space between vehicles, and driving smoothly on the roads.

Know When To Stop

You might be on a tight schedule, with pressure on to make all of your deliveries on time, but that’s no reason to put yourselves or others in danger. Sometimes you just need to stop driving until the worst of the conditions pass. But there is a good time to stop driving, and a bad time to stop, and its important to recognise the difference. If visibility is low and driving conditions are severe, make sure you don’t stop on the hard shoulder. This will just increase your chances of not being seen and being hit. Instead, drive carefully to a petrol station or service station and wait until visibility increases.

At Easy as HGV, we pride ourselves on educating all of our prospective drivers to drive safely in all weather conditions. Our experienced trainers all have years of driving under their belts and are incredibly happy to pass on that knowledge to you. To find out how you can start your journey into the world of HGV driving, just get in touch with us today.

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