Driving Well in Bad Weather is Good for Your Insurance

Just because April is over doesn’t mean rain showers and thunderstorms are over. There are still several weeks before the drier months of summer clear up the driving weather. Even if the risk of icy rain is lower, heavy rains can be dangerous both for you and the surrounding traffic. Keep your insurance premiums low and your company as a low risk to insure by focusing on visibility.

Assume that other drivers can’t see you.

If you’re an experienced truck driver, you know how to handle a wide variety of terrain, weather and road quality. One of the biggest risks is the unpredictability of other drivers around you. Private vehicles may be driven by people with limited experience in the current driving conditions, especially as colleges let out for summer and students start to drive home. Other drivers’ visibility may also be hampered by less rigorously tested windshield wipers and by the fact that they’re expected passenger size vehicles. If drivers misinterpret the solid gray or white of your trailer as empty space, there could be a side collision.

While you can’t control what other drivers do, you can make sure your car is as visible as possible. Check your headlights and brake lights often, both for functionality and for any fogging that may dim the bulbs. Also, ensure that your visibility tape is bright and uncovered. Low lighting and fog can make reflective tape less effective than usual.

Know how to respond safely to a skid.

Even with all of the safety precautions possible and a vigilant eye on other drivers, your truck may skid. Try to regain control of the vehicle by steering the car in the direction you meant to go and slowly decrease the speed. Jerking the wheel or quickly braking can make the skid worse.

Being prepared for all weather and driving conditions keeps you and your vehicle safe. It also protects your business. Go to J.E.B. Insurance Services, LLC. to see if you are getting the right rates for your safe driving record. We provide commercial truck insurance in the states of Florida, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska.

David Ott

David Ott