For truck drivers, winter is a nightmare. As if transporting quantities of merchandise wasn’t difficult enough, adding extremely cold temps and ice roads just adds to the anxiety. We can’t emphasize the necessity of truck safety enough as a top instructor in the art of commercial truck driving, especially during the winter. You can ensure that your rig lasts the full season without breaking down or causing an accident by following these four easy guidelines.
Maintain a Clean Windshield
Every driver’s worst nightmare is being involved in an accident. A simple method to avoid this is to make sure you’ll be able to see, even in the midst of a blizzard. Make sure there are no cracks or chips in your windshield. After that, check to see if your wiper blades need to be replaced, and make sure your windshield washer reservoirs are filled to the right winter dilution levels.
Improve Your Traction
Winter driving will be more difficult than it needs to be if your truck isn’t equipped appropriately. Make sure your rig’s tire tread thickness is at least 5/32 inches to guarantee it has sufficient traction on the road. You should also check ABS operation and drum brake stroke adjustment at the start of the season. You may also place tire chains in the car for extra support in severe snow and ice conditions.
Engine Heaters Should Be Inspected and Maintained
In order to keep your engine warm in frigid weather, you must examine and maintain your heaters on a regular basis. In sub-zero conditions, if your engine heaters aren’t working properly, your vehicle will not start. Using a multimeter to measure the ohms produced by your heater is an easy method to achieve this. It should be between 8 and 25 ohms in ideal conditions. If it’s reading below or above that range, it’s probably time for a new one.
Inspect Your Battery
Despite the fact that greater temperatures have been shown to hasten battery breakdown, batteries often fail in the winter. This is most likely owing to the tremendous initial stress they experience in the winter, as well as the months of degradation brought on by the summer heat. To avoid your battery failing over the winter, examine it before the season begins and clean the connections on a regular basis.
Winter driving is one of the most difficult tasks a truck driver faces, so make sure you follow these recommendations to ensure a safe journey during the season.
