Top Tips for Safe Delivery of Cargo

For haulers, hauling cargo and return loads on the way back can be challenging. Safety should always be paramount for every logistics manager and driver. However there are certain factors that can go against a haulage driver’s efficiency on the road, and these can have negative impacts. Here are some measures to keep the trip as safe as possible.

Manage Fatigue

Fatigue is a stealthy, insidious thing-haulage drivers, especially those who are toiling on overtime to deliver return loads, are sometimes prone to making self-defeating decisions. This happens because people usually overestimate their physical endurance and stamina, thinking foregoing sleep and staying awake and functional is possible by an act of will. It is not; in fact, statistics indicate the glaring opposite, with a significant number of road accidents occurring due to drivers falling asleep at the wheel. Moreover, driver fatigue is much more dangerous than other factors because it is self-perpetuating – impairing a person’s ability to judge their own level of tiredness. So to stay on the safe side, especially as a haulage driver, sleep should be carefully and sensibly managed. On a long-distance haul, the advice is to find a safe spot to nap for an hour or so if fatigue occurs.

Unsafe Driving Behaviour

As a haulage driver, navigating the roads with cargo and often doubling up on return loads, you are responsible for your own driving behaviour. Huge vehicles usually have many blind spots, which mean you need to be extra vigilant when driving on the highway. What’s more, with all the modern gadgets on offer it’s easy to succumb to distractions. You should understand that merely answering a mobile phone or texting while driving can distract you enough to commit unsafe driving acts, such as straddling lanes on a multi-lane road, driving inconsistently, or failing to maintaining a safe distance from the vehicles in front of you. When driving, you need to consider two aspects: the value of the cargo entrusted in your care, and the lives of others on the road. If you must respond to a text or a phone call, find a safe spot to pull over.

Sharing the Road With Heavy Vehicles

As previously mentioned, heavy vehicles have multiple blind spots; as a haulage driver, chances are you’re driving one such vehicle-the size of your cargo hold is important to accommodate as much cargo and return loads as possible. When sharing the road with other heavy vehicles as well as regular ones (cars, mini-vans, and motorbikes), you should be cautious and make it a point to obey traffic rules to the letter. Heavy vehicles are not as manoeuvrable as others and you need to keep the existence of blind spots in mind. The keyword here is ‘patience’: prioritise safety over speed, as it’s always better to suffer a little delay than risk yourself and everyone else on the road.