Trucks are vehicles that often undertake more stress than the average driver does due to the increased driving conditions they are typically under, especially semi and medium-duty trucks. Trucks are, additionally, more of an investment and often are essential pieces to businesses, which is why it is necessary financially to be aware of various tips that create the best opportunity to increase a truck's life span. As truck repair mechanics, we have seen various truck service needs created usually from many similar situations.
Adjusting to Road Conditions
Truck driving requires increased awareness and adjustment due to the size of vehicle and the less room for defense and agility. Squeezing into the next lane is not as easy as it would be for a sedan. Various truck situational conditions that require driving adjustments including:
- Reducing Speeds
- Slower Turns
- Allowing traffic to pass
- Creating Increased Vehicle Space
How Accidents Occur
Semi-trucks and medium-duty trucks are already typically the larger or largest vehicles on high ways. Far too often, truck drivers utilize their size as an excuse to be less careful, making it more dangerous for themselves and putting others at risk. For example, truck driving often calls for confidence and conviction when making choices because smaller vehicles will not always slow down on the roads for larger vehicles to enter; however, a driver first should guarantee that there is space and they have provided ample signal time before switching lanes with conviction. Allowing traffic to pass and ensuring there is enough space to enter a lane can help avoid accidents. A large majority of truck accidents occur from drivers not checking their blind spots to the best of their abilities, and driving to aggressively.
The weather also plays a large role in creating road conditions that call for adjustments to avoid accidents. Turning a truck carrying a large load is already a challenging situation. The difficulty and need for awareness is increased when slippery roads are present. Being aware of the weather conditions and avoiding recklessness by reducing speed, signaling with ample time for surrounding drivers to adjust, and slowly turning can assist in avoiding accidents as well as stress on a truck’s brakes, reducing the need for repair and increasing safety.
Truck Service Checks
Truck service checks key to avoiding unnecessary truck repairs. Your vehicle is a system of moving parts. If one part is out of sorts, it can have a snowball effect. Truck maintenance is essential to increasing the longevity of a truck. Truck maintenance may including fluid checks including oil changes, engine fluids, and transmission fluids. Changing or topping off fluids to decrease the possibility of driving with compromised parts is far less costly than avoiding truck maintenance checks and having to undergo an engine overhaul down the line. Additionally, checks typically include light checks, brake checks, and full vehicle inspections.
Conclusion
Understanding that your truck’s life can be preserved every day as a driver on the front-end, and additionally through professional service checks on the back-end. A truck is an investment that often businesses depend on. For full truck service and recommendations, we have a truck repair team in place ready to provide top of the line service backed with experience and premier technology.
