Rules of the Road

PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

Get plenty of rest before driving. Eat well and try to stay fit. Driver fatigue and lack of attention can increase your risk of being involved in a crash. Hours of service violations are serious and can threaten your livelihood or even your life. Stay healthy, get your rest, or don’t drive!

PLEASE SLOW DOWN IN WORK ZONES

Watch out for highway construction. Stay alert. Slow down. Almost one-third of work zone fatal crashes involved large trucks. Most of these crashes occurred during the day. Take your time going through work zones. Give yourself plenty of room, and expect the unexpected.

BE AWARE OF YOUR “NO-ZONE”

Other drivers may not be aware of the size of your blind spots. One-third of all crashes between large trucks and cars take place in the No-Zone areas around a truck. Adjust your mirrors and be vigilant in watching out for vehicles in the No-Zone.

ALWAYS KEEP YOUR DISTANCE

Always leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front of you. In rear-end collisions, regardless of the situation, if you hit someone from behind, you are considered “at fault.” Large trucks, given their mass, have much greater stopping distances than 4-wheelers. Take advantage of your driving height, and anticipate hard braking situations.

ALWAYS MAINTAIN YOUR VEHICLE

It can save your life. Do the required Pre-trip inspection of your vehicle before getting on the road, and check your brakes regularly. Brake defects are the most frequently cited out-of-service inspection violation. Learn how to inspect your brakes, identify safety defects, and get them repaired before risking your life, and others, on the highway.

ALWAYS DRIVE DEFENSIVELY

Avoid aggressive drivers and maintain a safe speed. Two-thirds of all traffic fatalities may be caused by aggressive driving behaviors. Keep your distance and maintain a safe speed. The only thing excessive speed increases is your chance for a crash.

PLEASE FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT, NO EXCUSES!

Buckle up for safety and vehicle control. If you are in a crash, a seat belt will save your life and that of others. It will keep you in your seat and allow for you to maintain control of your truck. Increasing seat belt use is still the single most effective thing we can do to save lives and reduce injuries on our roadways.