If your emergency brake is a lever, push the button and pull up on the lever. This provides stability to your truck and stops it from rolling down the hill. Use Emergency Brakes at All TimesĪlways use the emergency brakes when parking your truck, especially on an incline. Look out for those while keeping your truck’s height in mind. It might take you some time to adjust to having 26 extra feet behind you!īridges, overpasses, parking garages, and other structures will have height limits posted. Keep in mind that you’re driving a vehicle much larger than the average sedan. Know your truck’s height and drive accordingly. Watch Out for Height Limits You probably ignore these signs when you drive your car, but you HAVE to pay close attention to them when driving a large truck. Truckers make much wider turns to avoid hitting the curb, another vehicle, or, worst of all, a pedestrian! 7. Because a box truck is obviously larger than a car, you have to compensate by taking wide turns. This is one of the most important things to do. An extra hour is totally worth it if that means reducing the chances you find yourself in an accident. Second, if you do, the chances of getting into an accident will increase.īottom line, take your time and stay at, or slightly below, the speed limit.Įven a long trip, going 5-10 mph slower will only set you back about an hour. First and foremost, you won’t be able to go any faster. We understand you’re in a rush or on the clock and want to get to your destination as soon as possible, but slamming the gas pedal isn’t worth it. I try to stay at hotels with large parking lots that allow me to park without having to back in or out of a parking spot. Try to stop at truck friendly gas stations where you can pull in and pull out easily. I also always try to avoid putting myself in a situation where I’ll need to back up as much as possible. Keep them in your line of sight or your mirror at all times. According to trucking insurance companies, a large number of incidents occur when a commercial vehicle driver is backing up.Ī good way to prevent that is to have someone behind the truck guide you while you back up. Back Up Cautiouslyīacking up a truck is a necessary skill for every driver and should be taken seriously. Pay attention to traffic building up and slowing down ahead of you so you can start putting on your brakes early. We’d recommend doubling the space you would normally keep when you’re driving a car.Īlso, take advantage of the fact that sitting up higher, you can generally see well ahead of traffic. If the car in front of you makes a sudden stop, you’re going to have to compensate for that. This is because a box truck, especially if it’s loaded, takes a longer time to stop. When driving a box truck, leave some extra space between you and the vehicle in front of you, even more than you would with a car. We’re not talking about checking your side mirrors every once in a while we’re talking about checking them all the time! That said, make sure you know your blind spots well so that you ensure your own safety as well as the safety of the people around you. Always Check Your Side Mirrors With no rearview mirror, you need to check your side mirrors and check them often!īecause box trucks don’t have rear-view mirrors, it’s absolutely crucial to pay attention to your side mirrors, even more so than you usually do when you’re driving your passenger car.Įven in smaller box trucks, there are a lot of blind spots that prevent you from seeing what’s going on around you. Once you’ve carefully inspected your truck and have familiarized yourself with everything, it’s now time to hit the road! 2. Check the truck’s interior and exterior for any existing damage.Examine all the tires to make sure they’re properly filled with air.Make sure your headlights, turn signals, and brake lights are all working.Some things you should do include when inspecting your truck: I’ve never personally had any issues when returning a truck, but I had proof if any previous damage would try to be blamed on me. Pro Tip: Take pictures of every square inch of your truck. Usually, the rental company will take care of this for you, but it’s harmless to double-check. Make sure you inspect the truck thoroughly before leaving.
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