How to Stay Safe on the Roads During Summer Travel Months

Summer travel months put added stress on transportation networks and create unique challenges for truckers, primarily due to extreme heat, increased traffic, and an aging infrastructure. Fortunately, there are ways to help mitigate many of these frustrating and sometimes dangerous issues.

What to Be Aware Of

Take a proactive approach to safety and be prepared for what you’re likely to encounter on the roads this summer.

More Vehicles. More people spend more time driving in summer than at any other time of year. Many of these drivers are teens, working summer jobs or simply enjoying their school-free months by hitting the road. Vacation and recreational driving are also more common along with an increased number of motorcyclists.

While it’s easy to assume teens are the most inexperienced drivers on the road, they’re not alone. Otherwise, competent, experienced adults can get into trouble when driving an RV or towing a trailer they aren’t used to. 

More Road Work. Summer is construction season, and orange cones, lane closures, and detours can lead last minute lane changes, sudden braking, confusion and congestion. Getting off the interstates is sometimes no better, with walkers, runners, and bicyclists sharing less-traveled roads.

Safety tips for your drivers

Here are some tips and strategies to incorporate to make sure you are prepared for the summer months.

Maintain your truck. Summer heat causes more blowouts, so make sure to check your tire pressure. Idling engines get hot, so monitor your coolant levels. Pay special attention to these and other pre-trip inspection checklist items so you can weather disruptions more easily and so you don’t become the reason everyone else has to slow down.

Maintain yourself. Heat isn’t only hard on engines. It can also cause you to become dehydrated or fatigued faster than when temperatures are more comfortable. Maintain your cabin air conditioning systems, and plan rest times before and after challenging stretches of road. Don’t forget to watch your hours driven and get plenty of rest during off-duty time to maintain optimum performance.

Avoid distractions. Sometimes it seems like every other driver on the road is distracted, talking or texting on their phone. As a trucker, your natural position of height above other drivers makes spotting others using mobile devices easier. Our advice is simple: watch out for them and never become a distracted driver yourself.

Plan ahead. Whenever you can, schedule your departure and arrival times to avoid places and times prone to congestion. If you use data-driven websites and apps that can help you avoid construction zones or highly congested roads. 

Drive carefully. Expect other drivers to get impatient when traffic is bad. They may follow too closely, linger in blind spots, or cut you off. When following drivers with out-of-state plates, be on the lookout for signs of hesitation, sudden swerves, or quick braking at exits, particularly in states where roads and ramps are configured differently than in other parts of the country. 

Summer traffic can be frustrating, and congestion and delays can cost you time and money. But we all also recognize the important role you play in making the highways safer during the busy summer months. By managing the challenges of summer driving proactively, you and your drivers can help limit the impact of both nuisances and outright hazards.

Take advantage of SE Smith and Sons fleet inspection and maintenance services to ensure that your trucks are ready all year round, no matter the season. Be sure your semis, trucks, and fleet are operational and safe to avoid any breakdowns or costly repairs and contact us. With over 60 years in the business, we’re the name you can trust.