Spring Severe Weather Awareness Week starts on March 20th in Columbus, OH this year, which means that finally, finally, spring is springing. Winter is nearly over and the truck drivers of Bay & Bay Transportation will be able to drive ice-free for many months to come. But, those of you reading closely may have noticed that the word “severe” was also included in that lovely spring weather announcement, because yes, tornado season is nearly upon us as well.
Tornado season is a scary time to be a long-term driver of any sort, but it can be especially nerve-wracking if you’re a truck driver. Truck driving means operating a vehicle that can be a little unruly, difficult to park on short notice, and sometimes too large for ordinary shelters. Keeping your cool in bad weather is essential, but it can also be very hard to think things through when the sky is falling. Start by sticking to some of the basics:
- Check the weather on all your truck driving routes before departing.
- Keep in regular contact with your dispatcher about sketchy conditions and dangerous weather.
- Never try to outrun a storm, instead retreat to a nearby ditch or shelter and wait it out.
- And for truck drivers specifically, do NOT rely on your truck for protection.
Even if you think you have the heaviest truckload in the history of truck driving, your vehicle is still a large, flat-sided object that may as well be a big rectangular kite in the right kind of winds. Even if the storm isn’t strong enough to lift or damage your cargo, it could still tip the truck over . . . and there’s no way to predict where it will land. Keep away from your truck, find low ground, and make yourself the smallest target possible. Protect your head and neck and wait out the worst of the wind. And under no circumstances should you try to hide underneath a highway overpass. It may seem like logical protection, but it actually makes you more vulnerable than hiding in a ditch.
If you’d like more tips on truck driving through storms or in severe weather around Columbus, OH, contact Bay & Bay Transportation at 888.801.3026 or visit their website here. Staying a step ahead of the weather can be difficult, but when your safety as a truck driver is on the line, it should always be your first priority.