3 Safety Tips for New Tow Truck Drivers
Posted on: 25 January 2017
When a driver is stranded and in need of help, they call on you for assistance. Make sure you're keeping safety a top priority. As a new transportation professional, it is important that you understand that you should operate in a manner that allows you to effectively perform your duties, while also keeping the safety of the public in mind. Ensure you are performing actions that are in line with this goal.
Practice Scene Safety
Whether you're assisting a customer with a flat tire or moving a wrecked vehicle, always practice scene safety. Scene safety is basically the idea of operating in the safest manner based on the circumstances, or scene. For this reason, the safety measures you take on a residential street will be quite different from those you need to consider on a busy interstate.
As you approach the scene, make certain you are assessing the environment, including lighting, flow of traffic, and location of the vehicle, to ensure you are parking and designating your working area in the safest location.
Wear the Right Gear
Ensure you're wearing the right gear before heading out on a call. First, always ensure you're wearing the right shoes, such as those with good tread and a non-slip sole. Just like you can work in all different types of environments, you will also be required to work in a variety of different weather scenarios. The right shoes ensure you're prepared.
Another integral safety garment to wear is a fluorescent vest. An orange or yellow florescent vest can be seen from a greater distance, ensuring drivers are aware of your presence on the road.
Install a Quality Light Bar
Make certain you're installing a quality light bar on the top of your truck. A low-quality light isn't just more likely to have a shorter lifespan, but it will also not illuminate as brightly as it should. Ideally, you should select a LED based light. LED lights last longer than fluorescent lights, and they shine brighter.
When traveling to a call at night, or in inclement weather, ensuring that drivers on the road can see you is important to their safety as well as yours. The addition of a powerful light bar allows you to see further ahead so that you can be made aware of any safety precautions up ahead, giving you plenty of time to react.
These safety tips help you get started safely in your new career.
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