by icdfreight | Jul 9, 2022 | Safety & Compliance
Too many drivers on the highways do not alter their driving skills based on weather and road conditions. Adjusting your driving behavior to meet changing conditions, good maneuvering and skid control skills are all essential in making it safely to your destination during the winter months.
Driving in bad weather, such as snow, ice and fog, is risky due to the need for more stop time, poor visibility, poor traction and the increased unpredictability of other drivers on the road. To help you navigate the increased challenges on the winter season roads, here’s a list of safe driving tips:
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SLOW DOWN
At fault accidents are mostly due to excessive speed. Remember that driving the speed limit is too fast for snow covered or icy road conditions. Take as much time as necessary. DO NOT HURRY – slow and steady allows you to arrive safely.
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SAFE FOLLOWING DISTANCE
Leave plenty of room between your vehicle and the vehicles in front of you and even those beside you, when possible (approx. ¼ mile). Try not to just follow the lead truck/vehicle. If the lead driver makes a mistake, give yourself enough distance and time to not make the same mistake.
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NO PACK DRIVING
Traffic seems to move in “packs” on the highway. Find a safe way to get away from the pack by maximizing the distance around your vehicle. This will give you more time to react if someone around you makes mistakes.
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USE GOOD JUDGMENT
If the weather conditions are severe or making you exceedingly anxious, then get off the road. Find a place to get off the road safely and wait until conditions improve.
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DON’T STOP ON SHOULDER
When the conditions of low visibility exist, especially blinding snow, other vehicles can mistake your position for being on the road and may result in someone slamming into the back of your rig.
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BRAKING
Do not engage the jake brake on icy roads. Try to avoid overusing your foot brake, unless the entire unit isn’t straight on the road. Don’t over brake when the entire unit isn’t straight because the trailer can slide and spin you out of your position (the truck slows down, and the trailer does not, especially when the trailer is empty.)
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ENSURE TRUCK IS OPERABLE
Be absolutely certain during your pre-trip inspection that the defroster and heater are working properly. Wipers, wiper motors, lights, brakes and tail lights, washer fluid is topped off, moisture drained from air tanks, all brakes are set up and windows and mirrors are completely clean before departure.
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KEEP FUEL TANKS TOPPED OFF
for extra weight over the drive tires, to aid with traction. Good quality lug tires, with proper tire pressure, are essential for good traction too.
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KEEP LIGHTS CLEAN
Whenever you are able to safely stop, clear lights of snow and ice that has built up during bad weather. Lights make you more visible to traffic and can aid in preventing collisions.
Always be prepared for bad weather conditions by having the necessary supplies and equipment needed. Your knowledge and implementation of proper, preventive safety skills for driving in poor conditions will truly separate the professional drivers from the rest of the pack.
Be SAFE on the roads this winter and always. OOIDA and other trucking resources publish articles regarding current chain laws around the country. Print those and keep in your truck for reference. It is your responsibility to know the laws in each state.
by icdfreight | Jul 9, 2022 | Safety & Compliance
This year’s CVSA (Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance) International Roadcheck will take place June 4-6, 2019. Inspectors throughout North America will conduct inspections on vehicles and drivers with a focus on steering and suspension systems. Although a truck’s steering and suspension system is routinely part of roadside inspections, the CVSA wants to pay special attention to ensuring properly maintained steering and suspension.
What will inspectors check?
- Steering wheel lash (free play)
- Steering column and shaft
- Front axle beam (including hub)
- Steering gear box (rack and pinion, if applicable)
- Pitman arm and output shaft
- Upper and lower steering arms
- Power steering reservoir
- Ball and socket joints
- Tie rods and drag links
- Steering nuts
- Axle parts/members
- Spring hangers
- Leaf spring assembly
- Coil/rubber spring and air suspension
- Composite springs
- Torsion bar suspension
- Suspension connecting rods and bushings
- Tracking components
- Sway bar components
- Adjustable axles (locking pins, body rails, slider guides)
If you are feeling more bumps and shakes as you drive, if your vehicle is swaying and bouncing at low speeds, or if your vehicle pulls to the side or knocks/squeals during turns, there may be an issue with your suspension. Your suspension should support the weight of your vehicle and keep it fairly level during most situations. Steering and suspension systems play a huge role in how well a vehicle operates and how safe it is to drive. If you suspect an issue, get your vehicle checked out as soon as possible before it becomes a safety issue for you and/or an expensive repair.
by icdfreight | Jul 9, 2022 | Safety & Compliance
Brake Safety Week, September 16-22, 2018, will bring an increase in truck inspections that focus on brake violations, according to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). The majority of inspections during this week will be full, Level 1 inspections, which is the most comprehensive roadside inspection.
Inspectors will focus on brake components, such as loose or missing parts; air or hydraulic fluid leaks; defective rotor conditions; measurement of pushrod travel; mismatched air chamber sizes across axles; air reservoir integrity and mounting; worn linings, pads, drums or rotors; required brake-system warning devices; and other brake-system components. Vehicles with defective or out-of-adjustment brakes will be placed out of service, warns the CVSA.
This intensified review of braking systems is a good reminder for all ICD Freight drivers to conduct a thorough check of the brakes on their tractors and trailers. Any vehicle operating under ICD Freight authority should have a 90-day inspection by a mechanic completed during the month of August. If you have not gotten this done, get to a certified mechanic and make sure they are conducting a thorough brake inspection, as well as checking all other required equipment checks. If defects are found, get the necessary repairs before getting on the road again.
A fully loaded tractor-trailer traveling under ideal conditions at a speed of 65 mph will take 525 feet to stop (almost two football fields). In comparison to a passenger vehicle, the tractor-trailer takes almost twice the distance to stop. Stopping distance takes into account 3 key factors:
- Perception distance – how far a vehicle travels while a driver is identifying, predicting and deciding to slow down for a hazard.
- Reaction time – time it takes for a driver to perform a decision once the danger is recognized.
- Braking distance – the distance traveled from the time a driver begins pressing the brake pedal until the vehicle comes to a stop.
Air brakes have become the standard equipment for semi-trucks and trailers and have a very high safety record. Improvements in technology and increased fail-safe features, such as automatic slack adjusters, air tank reservoirs, pressure protection valves and warning signals, have made the modern air brake systems solid and consistently safe from failing. According to a study conducted by AAA Foundation for Safety, air brakes can prevent up to 2,411 crashes and 37 deaths per year.
Your continued attention to safe driving behaviors, as well as maintaining your equipment can have a significant impact on your health and safety on the road and on those sharing the road with you. Be safe and be prepared for brake blitz week.
by icdfreight | Jul 9, 2022 | Safety & Compliance
Safe driving gets started with creating safe habits. Those habits include more than just defensive driving skills and speed and space management. It also includes planning your route, using tools made specifically for CMV drivers, such as GPS and paper maps, daily inspections and upkeep of equipment and taking care of your own health and well-being (breaks, sleep, eating healthy, etc).
Route Planning
Planning in advance of your trip allows you to factor in possible delays, road construction, rush hour traffic, weather conditions, hours-of-service compliance and possible wait times at a dock/customer. If you utilize a GPS designed for truckers, you have access to information about low overpasses and bridges, road restrictions and upcoming scales. A trucker’s atlas, which is never subject to satellite reception, also provides key information on state laws, mileage charts, and scale locations. These tools can help you better estimate the amount of time for your trip, plan stops, determine arrival time and meet scheduled deliveries/pickups. Good trip planning leads to less stress and less pressure to push yourself to meet deadlines.
Inspections and Equipment Upkeep
Daily pre-trip inspections and periodic equipment inspections throughout your trips can prevent bigger problems and unsafe conditions. Defects in brakes can prevent a driver from being able to make defensive braking maneuvers should someone pulls out in front of you or if unexpected objects cross your path. Tire maintenance and proper inflation not only helps maximize fuel efficiency, but also prevents serious hazards such as a tire blowout. Losing control of your vehicle resulting in an accident is one of the biggest dangers of tire failure. Properly working lights allows other drivers to see you and keeps your own surroundings visible. Signal lights help you communicate to other drivers what you are doing so signal early and keep it on until your move is completed. Finding defects and fixing them before you hit the road is the best way to prevent potentially devastating safety problems.
Health & Well Being
A healthy lifestyle, while not easy on the road, is a key component of being a safe and alert driver. Getting the rest your body needs, eating properly and taking time to move when possible, allows your body to fight off fatigue and other health problems. When you stop at a pickup or delivery, take a moment to walk around a bit, stretch and get your body moving. Sitting for long periods of time can lead to fatigue, back pain and even blood clots. Drink water instead of sugary, high-caloric beverages. Many Americans do not drink the recommended amount of water the body needs to flush out toxins and hydrate properly. Eight, 8-oz. glasses of water per day is the minimum recommendation. Although making healthier eating choices has gotten a little easier, it does take effort and will power to not go the way of high fat, fast food. Sleep deprivation also has a significant negative impact on your health. Lack of sleep can slow reaction time, reduce judgment and cause a loss of coordination. It also leads to a bad attitude/mood, which is not ideal for any driver because that can result in unsafe situations when someone cuts you off or when an aggravating situation happens on your trip. Your weight, diet, exercise, sleep patterns and attitude all contribute to your overall health and your overall safety on the road.
Defensive driving involves a lot of factors. While we only discussed a few in this issue, we hope to cover more topics about safe driving habits in future ICD Freight Driver’s Deck issues. For questions or topic suggestions, contact info@icdfreight.com.
by icdfreight | Jul 8, 2022 | Safety & Compliance
Weight enforcement policies are put in place because overweight vehicles damage roadways and shorten their life. When this happens more public tax dollars must be allocated to repair deterioration of roadways and bridges. One five axle truck weighs about the same as 20 automobiles, but impacts the roadways the same as 9,600 autos, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.
If you are stopped at a scale and your truck is overweight, officers may elect one or more of the following enforcement options:
- Shifting or redistribution of the load may be required
- Off-loading may be required in certain situations
- Drivers of overweight vehicles may be cited
- Cash bonds may be required to insure a court appearance.
To avoid having issues and to comply with weight laws, make sure you know the weight of your truck/trailer when empty. If you have not filled up with diesel, you also need to consider the additional weight of adding fuel. Diesel fuel is approximately 6.943 lbs/gallon. So 150 gallons of fuel can add over 1,000 lbs of weight.
Knowing your weight when fueled up, allows you to know how much weight the shipper can add. If the load that the shipper is adding seems unbalanced or overweight, say something. Use your experience to recognize weight issues and load balancing. Being aware of overall weight and the limits per axle, can help prevent large fines, as well as citations.
