Heavy Rigid Licence: Three Indispensable Tips for Safe Commercial Driving

If you are interested in learning how to handle a heavy rigid vehicle, it is important to obtain the right training. Ideally, you should apply for a suitable driving course from a reliable school. A good institute should provide theoretical and practical training, and the guidance should be extensive to ensure readiness for both the examination and commercial driving. Unfortunately, one cannot become an instant expert even with comprehensive training. You will need to practice and gain some experience for ideal results. Here are crucial tips to help you become a safe and reliable driver.

Understand the Cabin

You should put effort into understanding the cabins of heavy rigid vehicles. The cabin is the section of the truck which will allow you to control the rest of the heavy rig. If you are unfamiliar, you might not be able to respond to unusual circumstances on the road with ease. Typically, cabin drill procedures are taught in driving schools. However, there might be some difference in configuration depending on vehicle models. Therefore, you should take a moment to examine the cabin of each truck before operating it.

Know Proper Inspection

Proper inspection of a vehicle is essential for every commercial truck driver. The lack of pre-trip evaluation of the heavy rigid rig can lead to unfortunate road incidents. For instance, minor problems such as poorly inflated tyres can remain unnoticed before the journey. This could result in a major accident if the issue escalates due to unfavourable road conditions. Therefore, it is advisable for you to learn as much as possible about truck inspection and use the skills before driving the truck.  

Prepare for Collision

It is prudent to understand the potential danger of collision for heavy rigid trucks and ensure that you are prepared to avoid them. Simply speaking, heavy vehicles are harder to control than small cars, and the response time is not as short. Therefore, you should be able to anticipate collision risks and subvert them. For instance, roads with limited space such as narrow bridges or areas with construction work can be challenging to handle. When driving in such areas, you must practice caution. Check the possible blind spots, adjust your viewing mirrors and manage your speed. It is also important to always ensure that there is sufficient space between you and structures and vehicles around you.

Finally, you should consider learning about proper loading techniques for heavy rigid trucks. This will help you confirm that your cargo is always secure before transporting.

For more information, contact a local trade school that offers HR driving courses.