Tips For Driving a Big Moving Truck
- By Jason Kay
- Published 12/27/2011
- Home Management
- Unrated
Driving a Moving Truck- Tips for Coping
Have you ever driven a big moving truck? If you have, you know how intimidating it can be. If you have not, you are in for a real surprise. As you sit behind the wheel of a big moving truck it will feel like you are way higher than when in a car. The steering wheel feels massive and your entire truck seems bigger than your lane. Add this to reduced visibility and no rear view mirror and the situation gets mighty stressful, really fast. If you are preparing for your first trip behind the wheel of a big moving truck, these tips will help you keep your sanity without crashing.
Relax, Relax, Relax
Its definitely stressful driving a big truck, but stressing will just make the situation worse. Calm down, breathe and drive safely. If you focus on driving and paying attention, it will be okay. You probably worried that you will crash. If you are careful, if it does happen it will probably be someone else’s fault. In fact, the NHTSA estimates that more than 70% of accidents involving big trucks are caused by the other driver.
Slow Down
With a bigger, heavy truck you need to really stay aware of your speed. Bigger trucks don’t stop as quickly as lighter cars. This means that you need to start braking sooner. Accelerate slowly and apply your brakes way before you think you will need to. Generally it is a good idea to steer clear of the fast lane since you won’t be going as quickly as usual. Slow and steady is the best way to remain in contro
l of a big truck. Getting to the destination isn’t a race. Take your time so that you can avoid accidents.
Reversing, Turning and Other Considerations
A big truck doesn’t function the same as a small car. As you turn, keep in mind that your turning radius will be a lot bigger. Try to start your turn when about ½ of the vehicle has passed the curb. Don’t attempt tight turns, U-turns and other tricky maneuvers if you aren’t completely comfortable with the truck will perform. If you have a trailer attached, be aware that it will move in the opposite direction as the truck when you reverse. This makes reversing rather tricky. If you have never driven with a trailer before, practice until you are comfortable before hitting the road.
Think Before You Leap
You will be driving a big truck. Keep this in mind at all times. As you make turns and drive in traffic keep your mind on this fact. Other drivers will pay attention to you and will probably be more cautious. Don’t rely on others to make the right move. Make sure you adjust your mirrors so that you can see clearly on both sides. You want to be able to see the entire length of you truck. Learn your blind spots and pay careful attention so that you know where other vehicles are and if they could be in your blind spot. A little extra caution can’t hurt either.
Remember, driving a big truck isn’t as difficult as it looks. Keep these simple tips in mind and your moving experience will be much less stressful. Everyone will offer advice but as long as you remember to be safe, you will find that driving a big truck isn’t all that difficult.
Have you ever driven a big moving truck? If you have, you know how intimidating it can be. If you have not, you are in for a real surprise. As you sit behind the wheel of a big moving truck it will feel like you are way higher than when in a car. The steering wheel feels massive and your entire truck seems bigger than your lane. Add this to reduced visibility and no rear view mirror and the situation gets mighty stressful, really fast. If you are preparing for your first trip behind the wheel of a big moving truck, these tips will help you keep your sanity without crashing.
Relax, Relax, Relax
Its definitely stressful driving a big truck, but stressing will just make the situation worse. Calm down, breathe and drive safely. If you focus on driving and paying attention, it will be okay. You probably worried that you will crash. If you are careful, if it does happen it will probably be someone else’s fault. In fact, the NHTSA estimates that more than 70% of accidents involving big trucks are caused by the other driver.
Slow Down
With a bigger, heavy truck you need to really stay aware of your speed. Bigger trucks don’t stop as quickly as lighter cars. This means that you need to start braking sooner. Accelerate slowly and apply your brakes way before you think you will need to. Generally it is a good idea to steer clear of the fast lane since you won’t be going as quickly as usual. Slow and steady is the best way to remain in contro
Reversing, Turning and Other Considerations
A big truck doesn’t function the same as a small car. As you turn, keep in mind that your turning radius will be a lot bigger. Try to start your turn when about ½ of the vehicle has passed the curb. Don’t attempt tight turns, U-turns and other tricky maneuvers if you aren’t completely comfortable with the truck will perform. If you have a trailer attached, be aware that it will move in the opposite direction as the truck when you reverse. This makes reversing rather tricky. If you have never driven with a trailer before, practice until you are comfortable before hitting the road.
Think Before You Leap
You will be driving a big truck. Keep this in mind at all times. As you make turns and drive in traffic keep your mind on this fact. Other drivers will pay attention to you and will probably be more cautious. Don’t rely on others to make the right move. Make sure you adjust your mirrors so that you can see clearly on both sides. You want to be able to see the entire length of you truck. Learn your blind spots and pay careful attention so that you know where other vehicles are and if they could be in your blind spot. A little extra caution can’t hurt either.
Remember, driving a big truck isn’t as difficult as it looks. Keep these simple tips in mind and your moving experience will be much less stressful. Everyone will offer advice but as long as you remember to be safe, you will find that driving a big truck isn’t all that difficult.
Jason Kay
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