Winter season in the United States makes traveling the roadways dangerous due to the buildup of snow and ice. Big rig truck drivers must take certain precautions due to the size and weight of their vehicles. These trucks handle much differently in harsh weather, and can cause a great deal of damage when out of control.
Clear your truck of snow and ice to improve visibility. Snow built up on the truck's cab will blow into the windshield and melt, reducing visibility and increasing the chances of an accident. Snow blowing off a big rig's cab can also endanger other motorists by reducing their visibility. Run the window defroster and use de-icer to remove all ice from window surfaces before driving.
Emergency flashers will make a big rig more visible during heavy snowfall. During a snowstorm or blizzard, visibility can be reduced to almost nothing, and slow-moving big rigs become targets for faster cars. Big rig truckers should never use their high-beam headlights in times of heavy snow, as the light will reflect off the snow and reduce visibility.
Utilize snow chains when operating a big rig in the mountains under harsh winter conditions. Tire chains help you gain extra traction on ice, allowing a heavy big rig to safely climb steep hills. They also make steering a loaded big rig easier by reducing tire slippage on the ice. Tire chains are placed over the drive tires and occasionally the front steering tires.
When stopping a big rig truck with a loaded trailer, extra distance must be allowed, or the truck could slide out of control. Stopping is very dangerous on ice and snow, and it increases the chances of the trailer causing the truck to slide and not stop properly. Brakes must be depressed slowly so as not to lock up the tires.
Monitoring the weather is extremely important when operating a big rig. Listen to radio reports and talk to incoming trucks on the upcoming road conditions. Weather radios will let you monitor the conditions in your area 24 hours a day, and warn you of ice and blizzard conditions, along with road closings.
