Any vehicle may be unsafe and challenging to drive in the mountains. When a semi-truck is around, you must drive with expertise, care, and caution. It is crucial to keep vigilant and plan your route appropriately while operating a truck on mountain routes.
Not sure how to drive a truck down a mountain? The top 7 truck driving advice for mountain roads is available here. Continue reading to learn how to drive safely on mountain roads for you and other motorists.
Prepare
The first approach to safeguarding your safety is to plan if your route involves automated semi-truck mountain driving. Spend time considering the route and investigating potential trouble spots that previous drivers may have encountered.
Ensure you are informed about the weather, traffic, and road closures. As close to your departure as possible, check the status of each of these things since it is probable that it may change.
You should also examine your vehicle before mountain travel in a big truck. This is true for any route before beginning, but it is especially crucial when the weather and high gradients are deciding factors.
Grade
Always check the road signs for the gradient. You must seek visible indications and avoid making educated guesses about the grade. No matter your expertise, it is quite hard to determine the slope with only your eyes; therefore, pay attention to the road signs.
Steady Speed
Although it may seem obvious, accidents repeatedly show that it is necessary to reinforce this. Keep your pace constant and slow. This is being done for both your and everyone else’s safety.
Too frequently, motorists mistakenly believe they may accelerate because they are getting close to the mountain’s summit. You could accelerate up dangerously when it is not yet safe to do so as a result of this. Even as you get closer to the bottom of the mountain, keep an eye out for grade indicators.
Weather
As we have discussed, it is important to know the weather before starting your tour. Being too at ease on a route you often use is a typical error regarding the weather.
It is fantastic if you often travel a certain mountain route and are confident in your abilities there. However, it is crucial to carefully check the weather. An ice patch might be quite hazardous for any motorist, even those who have travelled that route hundreds of times before.
Avoid Service Brake Application
In any of the three engine brake settings, it is advisable to “keep a pace where the engine rpm is in the 1,800-rpm to 2,000-rpm range,” advises Andy Roberts. This allows you to alter the engine brake setting when necessary rather than using the service brake.
Ignore Faster Drivers
Various vehicles will careen down the slope. Disregard those motorists. They are travelling in totally different cars. Pass them by; they could even honk at you. Whatever is going on around you, you must always drive your car safely at a moderate and steady speed.
Runaway Lanes
There are runaway lanes for a purpose. Use a runaway lane if you feel you can no longer manage your speed after losing control of your truck. Do not allow your ego to rule your actions. Created is no guilt in keeping you and everyone else safe; these lanes are for that purpose.
