Driving across mountains can be ғʀɪɢʜᴛᴇɴing for truck drivers, especially inexperienced or new drivers. You may quickly gain confidence on mountain slopes if you adhere to some basic safety rules and use the safety equipment at your disposal. It generally helps if you are familiar with the location you are visiting. On the other side, a driver can be taken by sᴜʀᴘʀɪsᴇ by an unforeseen patch of ice around the corner. When traveling across steep terrain, keep in mind these mountain driving guidelines, especially if you’re a new truck driver.
Pay ᴄʟᴏsᴇ attention to your grade
Even on flat terrain, overconfidence is a major contributor to ᴀᴄᴄɪᴅᴇɴᴛs. You shouldn’t let your guard down just because you’re in a place you know well. When negotiating a steep gradient, this is especially true. When you are at the top and preparing to descend, don’t try to guess the grade percentage if you don’t know it. Watch out for posted grade signs at all times. They should be well marked, and they’ll help you gauge how quickly you should ascend or descend.
Recognize that a grade requires time to climb or descend. Rushing is not a good idea. Take your time and move slowly or odically as necessary. As you near the bottom of the hill, avoid making the error of letting the truck go. Drivers occasionally make the error of thinking they are safe as they accelerate toward the bottom. The road may be icy or have an unexpected curve. Don’t forget to descend the hill on the track.
Keep your truck moving slowly and steadily.
The finest piece of driving safety advice I can give you for mountainous routes is “Slow and steady wins the race.” No truck driver has ever been caught going too fast down a mountain. Some motorists err by speeding up on a steep hill since they think they can judge a grade by its appearance. A hill’s grade cannot be determined by merely looking at it. It is nearly impossible to restore control of a moving vehicle once it begins to down a hill. Avoid putting yourself in a situation like this. Remember that your truck can overheat if you’re climbing a high incline even during the warmer winter months. Keep an eye on your truck and stop if it seems to be working too hard.
Try crowding the truck/trailer unit to the shoulder of the road if you can if you start to lose control of the truck for whatever reason. You should be able to gather enough gravel as a result to straighten the unit. Additionally, gently brake the unit using a trailer. This COULD be sufficient to straighten the unit.
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