Lately, with current weather conditions and weather-related accidents the road can be difficult for truck drivers to navigate. The FMCSA claims that it is in the hands of the truckers that the nation can decrease fatalities on the road.  Here are some tips for truckers who want to learn how to prevent accidents before they happen.

The FMCSA, or the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, released some unfortunate stats. The number of large truck occupant deaths have steadily increased each of the last three years. Also, the percentage of fatal work zoned crashes which involved a large truck increased in the past three years. Interestingly, fatal crashes that included at least one truck has risen the past year. Lastly, the number of fatal crashes and the number of truck related fatal crashes also rose.

Although the FMCSA is not blaming the drivers nor large trucks, it is significant that these numbers are rising. They have released a few tips, literally related to drivers’ hands, in hopes of gashing those numbers.

Here’s What Drivers Should Do

Firstly, it’s important to use one’s hands to put on your seatbelt. Unfortunately, drivers often forget to put on their seatbelts because the cabin often feels like one’s home. But, 38% of truckers involved in fatal accidents weren’t wearing their seatbelts.

Also important is hand signaling. Awareness is important for truck drivers. Don’t forget that just because your vehicle is large, people might not always have the best attention span. Hazard lights, turn signals and headlights are vital to trucking.

Finally, make sure to avoid distracted driving. This means adjusting your seat, seatbelt, mirrors, and radio before you start driving, so your hands can focus on one thing-driving. Another important aspect of this is ensuring that your hands-free device is properly adjusted to ensure that it doesn’t drop and cause an issue while driving.

In the end, it’s all up to you to use your expert driving skills to stay safe on the road. Hopefully, together we can stop the rise of truck related fatalities for years to come. We at Hawaii Auto Transportation are committed to keeping our roads safe for all!