June is National Safety Month and just in time for summer, our Corporate Safety Officer and CDL Trainer Dan Yero is back to give us some timely traffic tips. Any one of these items could have a significant impact on drivers of large commercial vehicles. Here are five items to keep in mind for your vehicle in the Florida summer:
Be vigilant with your driving. Children are out of school for the summer and have free time on their hands. Drive with caution, especially around residential and retail areas where children could be playing at any time of the day.
Be vigilant about your vehicle, especially the coolant levels. When you inspect your vehicle before a trip or if you suspect a problem, make sure your coolant levels are where they need to be to prevent overheating and causing a breakdown situation.
The roads are hot, and this could affect your tires. Make sure that your tires have the proper inflation levels to avoid blowouts and the proper tread depth to avoid hydroplaning. Remember that you should have at least 4/32 of an inch of tread depth on steering tires and 2/32 of an inch of depth on other tires.
Beware of low-hanging tree limbs. Summer storms or even showers can saturate branches and cause tree limbs to hang lower than normal. A limb that was always taller than the truck could at any time be too small to clear. Summer brings wind and rain, and that affects tree limbs, too. Summer storms knock down limbs and throw them around. Tree limbs can prove troublesome on the side of the road or obstructing the road after a storm. Vehicular impact with tree debris could cause damage to your vehicle, damage to your tires, loss of control, or injury to the driver.
Watch for puddles in your path. Even the RMS Titanic may not have thought much about the iceberg until after impact. There is no telling how deep a puddle truly is from a distance, and the results can be unpleasant. The same puddle that was shallow yesterday could have expanded after numerous vehicles have passed over it. Use caution around water, especially at highway speeds.
An alert driver is prepared for the road ahead and has the best chance to avoid obstacles. Please drive carefully, no matter the vehicle that you operate and that includes no distracted driving. Remember that safety is no accident.