Always be prepared for truck driving In different types of weather. Last night and this morning I drove halfway across Texas through Fort Worth, Waco, Austin, San Antonio, and South Texas which is intense even in perfect weather due to road construction, heavy traffic and accidents. You just can’t make that trip without running into at least one traffic jam due to an accident. The GOAL is to make sure that accident isn’t you. The other thing you can count on with this particular route is inclement weather, I’m talking heavy rain, and fog.
With all that construction especially in the Waco area, you have what they call Rodeo shoots with concrete barriers and snake like passages with speeding vehicles and 18 wheelers barreling past you on each curve. I call it entering “the gauntlet.” So on this particular trip, I took time and recorded video to give you a good idea of what we’re talking about with fog. The fog was so thick in some areas that I could not see anything that laid up ahead. When I turned corners in country roads I had to look especially hard to make sure I wasn’t running off the road into a ditch.
On the following morning, I was traveling along at a normal speed when I all of a sudden came upon stopped traffic due to one lane road construction and I literally had to swerve into the other lane before I could come to a complete stop. I barely avoided a tragic accident. I was being vigilant and prepared for anything but, it was still a close call.
Here is what I have done to be prepared while truck driving in different types of weather.
I believe in being as safe as possible. I strive everyday to go the extra mile to do everything I can to make it back home to my wife and family. That includes how I load, strap, chain and secure my loads. How I drive defensively. How when I drive in deer country I pay close attention and don’t drive too fast in the event I hit one. I have several friends and ex-partner’s that have destroyed a brand-new truck from hitting a deer.
So I have modified my truck and equipment for truck driving in different types of weather. Remember this is my office, warehouse, place of business. I am in it continuously for days on end. It makes me a good living. First, I changed out my halogen headlights for LED. You need to be able to see and be seen. I added a grill guard to lessen the impact of hitting a deer. Unfortunately, the pos fell off from the constant bumps and rough roads that are part of this business. I added a LED light bar that turns those dark backroads into day and gives me a brighter look for those suicidal deer.
Strobe Lights
Lastly, one of my personal favorite products for truck driving in different types of weather is my 8 LED Strobe lights. They can be set to on constantly to give you exceptionally bright, highly visible, marker lights for rain or heavy traffic. I want to be seen and not have to worry about somebody running into my trailer. It has happened before. They also have 20 different patterns which are perfect for the times you’re broke down on the side of the road or you have to park on a busy Street. This is not something that is a must for every driver but it’s something that means a lot to me.
The trick to them is to use a good quality American-made strobe and not those you get off of Amazon made in China. Those lasted me two weeks when I first put them in. I had a professional installer from my stereo shop close to my home. You have to have wiring run the whole length of your trailer and it is not easy drilling into the steel frame.
I hope I have helped somebody and if you read my books you know my saying- if you’re going to go in, go all in. Run your business like a business. Just remember you will experience truck driving in different types of weather, road conditions, emergencies and hazards but at the end of the day- it’s just another day at the office – or what I call the HotShot Trucking life.
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