Back

Driving Your Commercial Truck in the Mountains

Nov. 17 2021 Safety By DeBary Truck Sales

Share

While we don’t have many mountain ranges here in the Sunshine State, many parts of the rest of the country have significant mountainous regions, including the Appalachians and the Rockies. If you’re a cross-country, long-haul trucker, then it’s important to know how to drive in all sorts of weather conditions and across different types of terrain. Mountains are not only full of steep inclines, but the high winds and cold temperatures can create dangerous driving conditions. Follow these tips to drive your commercial truck safely in the mountains.

1. Go Slowly

Never try to go quickly when you’re climbing up or coming down a slope. It’s always best to go as slowly as you can while maintaining a steady pace. Take special care when descending that you don’t allow the truck to get too much momentum by tapping the brakes and using the jake brake.

2. Watch the Grade

Oftentimes, truck drivers get into accidents because they let their guards down and become too confident that they can handle whatever the road challenges them with. Don’t try to guess what percentage of grade you’re about to go up or down; look for grade signs to help you determine the proper speed.

3. Maintain Traction

As you ascend and descend steep hills, try to keep a few things in mind:

  • Avoid letting your engine overheat by turning on the engine fan, and keep an eye on the temperature gauge as your truck moves slowly up the hill. 
  • Try using all your drive wheels at once to help you get up the hill. 
  • On a slippery road, avoid following the tracks of vehicles that went ahead of you and make your own tracks shifted to the right instead.

4. Invest in Chains

The icy, snowy roads you can encounter in the mountains reduce traction and can cause you to skid out and lose control of your truck. This is why many people who drive in snowy conditions invest in a set of tire chains that you can attach to your tires before driving through any area where chain signs are posted.

5. Use Runaway Lanes

If you’ve never driven up in the mountains, there are often special lanes that look like highway exits on the roads. These lanes are “runaway truck ramps” that are generally long stretches of gravel or sandy road designed for a driver to use when they can’t get control of their truck while descending a hill. The sand or gravel helps the truck to become bogged down and eventually come to a stop. Getting your truck off the road and onto one of these ramps will prevent other drivers from being endangered.

Stop by our dealership in Sanford, FL, to check out our selection of new and used commercial trucks for sale. DeBary Truck Sales serves all of our Florida customers as well as those of you coming from Atlanta, GA.