Charlotte Haye 24th January 2019

Keeping Your HGV Safe on the Road This Winter

Roads at this time of year are treacherous. It’s no real secret. With the weather flipping between snow, ice, black ice, rain and gale force winds, drivers of any vehicle need to make sure they are careful when they set out. But when you’re carrying a large, heavy load, you need to be even more careful. In any kind of precipitation, the visibility is likely to be low, and road conditions can mean skidding tyres and poor grip. And since our goal isn’t just to get you through your training, but help you make deliveries safety as well, we have a few tips to help you prepare for a season of cold, potentially dangerous deliveries.

Prepare Your HGV

First off, you need to prepare your vehicle. It goes without saying that you should be keeping your HGV in good repair no matter what time of year it is, but in winter it’s absolutely crucial. Before you set out on any journey you should be checking the condition of your wiper blades, the level of your fluids and that all lights are working properly. Test your brakes and make sure they’re working properly, and get them checked over if they haven’t been looked at recently. How much air is in your tyres? If your HGV hasn’t had a maintenance check in a while, book it in for one as soon as you can. And finally, before each journey, make sure there is no ice or snow on any of the vital parts of your vehicle, including windows, headlights and brake lights, and make sure you’re never on less than half a tank of fuel (which can cause problems in colder weather). This will make sure your vehicle is in good working condition before every trip, so you have the best chances of driving safely.

Pack Your Winter Kit

If you’re on the road during winter months, odds are you’re going to be there for a long time. Whether you’re sitting in traffic, have a long journey or end up stuck somewhere due to heavy snow, you want to be ready for it. Get yourself a nice big, sturdy bag, and pack yourself a winter driving kit. It should include things like:

Warm winter clothes
A raincoat
Gloves, scarf and hat
A torch with extra batteries
A blanket
Sone non-perishable foods (protein and breakfast bars are great for this)
A bottle of water
A first aid kit
De-icer and windscreen scraper

Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive. You should personalise your winter kit to suit you. Think about what you might need in an emergency situation, and add it to your bag. Once you’re done, put this bag in your cab and keep it there through winter.

Practice Smart Driving

Now that you and your vehicle and your emergency kit are ready, it’s time to get yourself ready. This is the tricky bit. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula for driving on snowy, icy or wet roads. A lot of it you will learn through experience. But there are a few rules you can follow that will help you drive safer, including:

Slow is key: The weather and the conditions are unpredictable in the winter, and you need to be able to react to them without causing any damage. That means slow and steady in everything you do. For one thing, your tyres won’t have as much traction in cold weather (thanks to ice and sleet), so you will need more distance to stop than usual.
Avoid sudden stops: It’s all too easy to stomp on the brake at the last minute, but during winter that’s a really bad idea. Instead, you want to focus on braking gradually, giving yourself more space in front and behind.
Keep an eye out for black ice: This is one of the most dangerous things on the road, and it’s all too easy to be caught out by it. Keep your eyes open and scanning the rod surface for black ice patches, and avoid them when you can.
Check your windscreen: If you spot ice building up on your antennae or in the top corners of your windshield, then the conditions are ideal for black ice to start forming.

Staying safe in winter should be one of your top concerns as an HGV driver. At Easy HGV, we pride ourselves in helping our drivers become competent and safe in all weather conditions. That means instilling the fact that safe driving is 90% precaution and 10% quick thinking, so always plan ahead for the weather, and teach yourself as much as possible about the weather conditions you’re facing and how to handle them. If you would like to know more, just get in touch with the team today.

Charlotte Haye

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