6 Safety Tips While Driving in Spring
The snow has finally melted and the nice weather is rolling in – that means spring is in the air! As the season’s first warm sunlight begins to peek through the gloomy winter clouds, it’s safe to say that everyone is at least a little reinvigorated with happiness. The relief of the new season is a great feeling, but it’s important to keep in mind that the safety hazards of the winter aren’t gone – in fact, new ones just take their place. Here are six safety tips you’ll need to safely navigate the roads while driving in the spring.
The hazards of rain are quite obvious, but should never be ignored or brushed aside during springtime. More often than not, rain presents issues of visibility for drivers on the road. Rainy days and early, foggy mornings easily restrict your windshield vision, making it easier for you to find yourself in an accident. Without seeing clearly, you and your truck will be sitting on the side of the road until the storm passes – wasting valuable time. To ensure safe visibility, always have working windshield wipers and headlights so other drivers on the road can see you and you can see them.
With rain comes the risk of hydroplaning. Some roads do not drain as well as others, leaving fairly large puddles in the road. With the increased weight of freight trucks, this makes hydroplaning all the more dangerous. Hydroplaning occurs when the tires of your truck lose their grip with the pavement, gliding and skidding atop the water – making it hard to brake. If a driver brakes too hard, the truck can even jackknife and lose total control. To avoid this entirely, be patient, maintain a safe speed and brake gradually when the conditions aren’t driver-friendly.
The winter just never seems to officially leave no matter what time of the year it is. Ironically considered some of winter’s blessings, the spring is when potholes become a serious problem. Between the plows, salting and harsh weather, potholes can grow to pretty impressive sizes. The best you can do is to avoid them at all costs before they’re patched up. Driving over serious potholes can cause much unwanted damage underneath the vehicle.
Just when you thought you wouldn’t see ice again for at least another 6 months, unexpected freezing can occur during the spring season as well. The temperature can still drop to just the perfect freezing conditions at nighttime in early spring. The seasonal spike in rainfall doesn’t help, but just because it’s warm during the day doesn’t mean black ice can’t form at night.
Closer to the middle of spring, you’ll see more and more people outside enjoying the sunshine. While driving through residential areas make sure to be mindful of bikers and children playing outside. Drive slowly and give them space to avoid any unfortunate accidents from occurring.
Even though animals are active at all times of the year, it’s wise to have an eye out for any crossing the road no matter what. You should always be prepared to brake and not swerve out of the way. It’s best to be ready to react instead of reacting off last second impulse, which will only cause an additional potential road hazard.
National Retail Systems, Inc. is dedicated to keeping the roads safe starting with our dedicated fleet of drivers. As the ultimate 3PL option, we specialize in bringing lean logistics to businesses around the world. In order to accomplish this goal, we need all branches of our organization to be working in efficient unison while promoting the highest safety standards for our employees. If you’re interested in truck driving jobs in your area, consider National Retail Systems, Inc. Building a career with us will reward you with unmatched benefits simply because we don’t do average. Contact us for more information about the available job posts, and we hope to hear from you soon!
National Retail Systems, Inc. (NRS) includes Keystone Freight Corp. & National Retail Transportation, Inc. (NRT). NRS is an asset based 3PL that has been providing logistics services for the World’s leading retail companies for 60+ years. Our hub locations include: New York & New Jersey; Los Angeles, CA; Inland Empire, CA; Savannah, GA; Columbus, OH; Greensboro, NC; and Baltimore, MD.
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