Life on the road can be a bit of a dream. Long stretches, seeing a lot of places, listening to your favorite tunes as you go. Some truck jobs even require you to travel to different countries, which can be really cool too. Usually they are on a really tight delivery time, and it is their job to get from A to B in the best time – and still ensure they still take rest stops. Many countries require rest stops from truckers, and in Germany, they aren’t allowed to drive on a Saturday if they weigh more than 7.5 tons.
Shutterstock Licensed Photo – By Tiko Aramyan
But the hours are long, and some hauls are more dangerous than others. If you’ve been trucking for a while, or you are looking to have a career where you can use your HGV driving permit then here is what you need to know.
High Speed
When you are pulling really heavy loads, you are typically restricted, that doesn’t stop some drives putting their foot down. The issues that come with this are unexpected winds, and the truck almost tipping over. So, even if you have been doing it a while, you want to avoid a trucking accident then watch your speed at all times. If you need information on what to do in the case of an accident the use this link.
Ice Road Trucking
These types of condition can be very treacherous, and they can scare even the most hardened of drivers. There is a range of issues, including black ice, strong winds, low visibility, low sun… Then there are also drivers who aren’t confident in these conditions – they make it more difficult by hesitating and changing their mind last minute. Which you don’t typically have time to account for when you have a longer braking time already.
When driving these conditions, you need to leave more time than usual for the journey and for breaking – so watch your speed.
Hazardous Materials
If you are transporting things like hazardous chemicals, then you will likely need to undergo extra training. It is typically called Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems training, but it is better if you take all of the training you can get when it comes to your driving.
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There are a host of things that can happen when you are hauling chemicals. Some of them are in combination with the other more usual hazards like night driving and terrain issues. Spillages typically occur when the truck driver loses control of the steering.
Oversized Cargo
These are the ones that come with flashing lights and usually will take up a lot more of the road that the usual trucks will. They pose a hazard for drivers behind them, who can’t see past them. If you do have these, then you need to be even more stringent of your driving than you might usually have.
Other drivers behind might have less patience than you and try and get by at the first opportunity – but you will have extra wide mirrors and can see what is going on with.
French Alps
This is one of the best examples of treacherous, the French Alps. If you are used to this kind of driving, you will love these twists and turns. If you aren’t, then you might want to check the video below for some insight into how accomplished drivers handle it.
If you are going to be driving cargo in some European countries, then you will encounter a lot of winding country roads and cliff-top roads. Once you get beyond them, though, the excitement of completing it is pretty massive.
House Moving
If you are a truck driver, you have probably had many people ask you if you can help them move. Especially if you have your own rig. But the problem is, that while you might just be helping out a friend, things that get loaded onto a truck are usually carefully calculated for weight distribution, and protected really well too.
The last thing you need is someone’s couch sliding from one side to the other of your truck because they didn’t get the right stuff to strap it down before you head out. If you’re on a turn at a reasonable speed and the house contents slides, you will have a noticeable shunt in the back of your truck.
Shouldn’t be on the list, but it really is.
Road of the Dead
This Bolivian Road is one of the most deadly in the world – but it is still used a lot. The internet is littered with stories of the cars that are piled up at the bottom of the hill. It is often called El Camino de la Muerte and is around 43 miles long. There is another road that people also consider almost and dangerous called Chulumani Road.
El Camino del Muerte is the only connection between many small villages, so there are no other options.
It is estimated that around 200-300 people die on the road every year, and those aren’t always the big trucks. This South American range of routes might just be the most dangerous thing you ever do.
Oil & Gas
Anything combustible can cause a lot of problems. More than 300 drivers have been killed driving natural gas and oil in the last decade – according to the New York Times. Typically, the deaths have occurred during a collision where the combustible gas and oil goes up in flames. Sadly, commercial drivers have to be off work for at least 34 hours after work 60 hours in a week – to get rest and sleep. Gas and oil drivers are only required to take off 24 hours. Putting them in a tricky position. As we all know, tiredness kills.
While there are a lot of perks to trucking, the big beautiful rigs, the truck shows, and if you love driving this couldn’t be more perfect for you. But it also comes with risks, and before you sign up to operate some large loads – you should bear them in mind.
