Are you struggling a lot every time you do the lane positioning?
As a truck driver, do you know the things that you should do to reach your destination safely?
Lane Positioning is the placement of your truck vehicle whether you are on the left side, right side or centre of a lane. It is very important to give your full attention to driving each time you do the road positioning. Because it can help you in so many ways. It will enable other drivers to determine what you are going to do and it will increase their road perceptibility.
Improper lane positioning can result in serious accidents and harm to other people. Sometimes, truckers are not able to position themselves properly. There will be times where you will have to go outside of your lane such as narrow bridges or tight corners.
Previously posted on their website, The Gold Coast Bulletin reported that “an investigation has been launched into the smash in which a truck clipped a police car at Helensvale at about 11.25am.” (Emery et al., Gold Coast Bulletin Website) Many people reacted saying that M1 is perfectly good and it is just because of the reckless drivers who doesn’t care at all.
The significant thing that we can learn from this incident at this early stage is the importance of proper lane positioning when driving a truck. Trucks are considerably wider than the vast majority of cars yet they have to keep in the same size lane as a car does. Thus, lane positions become a significant area of focus for truck drivers.
There are many reasons why truck drivers cannot perform the correct lane positioning. These may include the following:
- Inclement Weather and Poor Road Visibility. Thus, making it hard for truck drivers to perceive the lane, centre lines, and shoulder
- Lack of Focus
- Lack of Driving Experience
- Road Hazards like potholes, animals, and cyclists
- Mechanical Failure or Engine Problems
- Drunk Driving
- Over speeding
- Driver Fatigue
As a truck driving school, it is our job to provide useful solutions and helpful advices to avoid any accidents caused by this improper lane positioning.
School of Transport compiled several tips on how you can do the lane positioning properly:
- Before you turn the steering wheel, use your mirror to determine the direction in which you are going to turn.
- Our Truck Driving School advise scanning your mirrors every 10 to 15 seconds. This will allow you to check that your vehicle is still in the lane.
- Check your mirrors on a regular basis, especially while turning to make sure that your truck is in the right lane position.
- Scan ahead and look for obstacles that are impeding to your lane. This may require you to move to one side of your lane or even change lanes to avoid the obstacle. Examples include: 1. Trees growing over the road as you are now in a higher vehicle than a car. 2. Broken down cars or in the case referred to above Police Cars. 3. Cars parked on the side of the road with the potential for the door to open. 4. Power Poles and signs. 5. Council Buses dropping off and picking up.
- Don’t get distracted or lose focus. For example: Looking at your mobile phone, talking to someone on the phone, looking at the GPS, surfing the internet, and changing a radio station.
- In a cab over truck it is more difficult to judge your lane position in while driving than a car is or bonneted truck. This is because you have no reference point in front of you to line up with the lane markings. This will require greater attention while driving particularly while driving.
Following these helpful tips from our truck driving school will help keep you safe from any vehicle collisions. You can also create more space between your truck vehicle and other drivers whom you share the road with.
Photo by: https://www.flickr.com/photos/vm2827/
