Winter driving conditions are continuing in some states this weekend, and even if your travel route doesn’t include any which are, it’s important to keep some tips in mind when driving in wintry conditions.
Some parts of Oregon & Wyoming are experiencing bad weather including black ice on roadways through Monday.
The Oregon Department of Transportation (DOT) put together the below common sense tips to remind truck drivers to travel smart.
- Carry chains and know how to put them on.
- Know before you go. Plan your route. Let someone know when you’re expected. Stay on state highways. Do not rely on GPS.
- Carrying an emergency kit that includes supplies of water and food, and blankets. Have a full tank of gas and charge your phone.
- Get safely situated. Don’t wait until after a storm hits to get on the road. Get to your destination before conditions turn nasty and unsafe.
- Travel smart. Consider waiting until a storm passes to get on your bike or in your car.
- Look out for each other. If you must drive, remember cyclists and pedestrians are harder to see in a storm. If you’re biking or walking remember that cars don’t stop quickly on snow and ice.
- Leave early. It’s smart to allow plenty of time to get where you’re going. In severe weather, closures and crashes can cause long delays.
- Check on any appointments before you leave. Offices and businesses may close due to the weather.
- Beware of outages. If a storm knocks out power to traffic signals, treat intersections like an all-way stop. The driver who stops first goes first.
- Watch for plows. ODOT sand trucks, plows and deicer trucks can’t clear roads clogged with traffic. The more traffic stays off the road, the quicker roads can be treated. Everybody benefits the sooner we can get the road cleared.
Truck drivers are urged to check highway conditions at Tripcheck.com before starting their trip.
Questions? NHH Services
NHH Services is committed to driver support, notifying all of any road conditions or hazards, compliance and safety. If you have any questions, give us a call at 765-650-4164 or send us an email to info@nhhservices.com.
