Prepare For the Obstacles of Summer Driving
As the weather turns warmer and the world emerges from a long, cold winter, more drivers take to the road for their summer adventures. In terms of sheer numbers, more people drive in the summer than at any other period of the year. As a result, commercial truck drivers will have to contend with congested streets and highways. Professional drivers must exercise more caution as the weather warms up, bringing out more bicycles, walkers, and children at play. And while many drivers may think that winter, and the corresponding cold weather threats, are the only real threats to driving, Summer, and the corresponding warmer weather brings with it additional opportunities and distractions for commercial truck drivers. At Epes, safety has always been a priority, for both our drivers and the people we share the road with, and it remains true to this day.
Some common summer driving trends that Summer brings out include more drivers. more teenagers who are working summer jobs or simply taking advantage of the fact that they are not in school. driving for pleasure and vacation becomes increasingly prevalent during this time of year. And while it's tempting to believe that teenagers are the least experienced drivers on the road, this isn't the case. When driving an RV or pulling a trailer that they aren't used to, otherwise competent, seasoned adults can fall into problems. It's improbable that either group would handle adversity as well as a professional truck driver.
There are also more motorcycles on the road. According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the summer months of June, July and August have 29% more deaths than the primary winter months of December, January and February.
Summer is also construction season and driving through construction zones presents a variety of potential problems. As a result, stay safe in these areas by following these tips:
- Know your route - Whenever possible, avoid construction areas and work zones. Use detours that are available.
- Remain vigilant - Pay close attention to the various signage within work zones. Keep an eye out for any signage in the work zones that may signal lane changes, decreased speed limits, or other essential information. Avoid distractions like using your phone, eating, drinking, listening to the radio, using your GPS, or chatting with other passengers.
- Reduce speed - In work zones, lane closures, changes in traffic patterns, and slower speeds are commonplace. When entering a construction area, be sure to slow down and be aware of any road workers.
- Be mindful of vehicle distance - always maintain additional space between your car and the one in front of you because rear-end collisions in construction zones are common.
The unpredictability of summer weather should also be monitored. While winter driving often includes driving in snow and ice, summer weather can pose its own set of weather issues. Summer weather patterns may include thunderstorms, downpours that result in flash flooding or even tornadoes, depending on where you are in the country.
These events can occur with little to no warning, so make sure you're aware of the weather forecast for the area you'll be travelling each day and check in occasionally to ensure nothing has changed. This will prevent unexpected surprises.
Equipping Drivers with Safe Vehicles
Drivers use modern, low-mileage Freightliner Cascadia trucks that are spec'd with collision prevention, adaptive cruise, control, blind spots detection and more. With more than 1,600 vehicles in our fleet, we always have and always will - make safety a top priority.