Passenger vehicle operators – not truck drivers – cause approximately 70 percent of all fatal crashes involving a car and commercial truck, according to federal government statistics.
Most accidents are the result of an unsafe driving act, such as following a truck too closely or lingering in its blind spot.
The following precautions will help you safely share the road with large trucks:
* Beware of blind spots. Approximately 35 percent of truck-related auto fatalities occur in a truck’s blind spots. Tractor trailers have very large blind spots -; as much as 30 feet behind the truck. Always try to pass on the left side; the blind spot on the right side is much larger (running the length of the truck and extending out nearly three lanes).
* Stay back. When following a truck, try to maintain a distance of 20 to 25 car lengths. Driving too closely behind a truck gives you little or no time to react to changing conditions.
* When passing a truck, do not loiter in the blind spot. Before moving back into the truck’s lane, be sure you can see its headlights in your rearview mirror. Most fully-loaded semi trucks driving at highway speeds need 100 yards – that’s one football field – to come to a safe stop. Leave them plenty of space.
* Pay attention. Driver inattentiveness is the most common unsafe driving act that results in a truck-related auto fatality.
* Heed the weather. Poor conditions make it more difficult to drive safely around big trucks. Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC reminds you that statistics show nearly 1 million vehicle accidents a year occur in wet weather.
When it’s raining, slow down, turn on your lights, drive smoothly and maintain a safe distance. If you start to hydroplane, take your foot off the accelerator (if manual transmission, engage the clutch) and don’t slam on your brakes.
* Properly maintain your tires. A tire cannot provide good traction on wet roads once the tread is worn below 232 of an inch tread depth. Check your tires regularly and replace them at the proper time. Don’t forget to maintain the proper air pressure in your tires; tire pressure should be checked monthly.
Thousands rent a truck in the United States every day. There are many companies where you can rent a truck of your choice. For example Budget which has more than 32,000 trucks and about 3,000 locations across the US. Budget is not even the biggest company in this business.
The trucks of most truck rental companies in the US are of GMC, Ford, International and Isuzu make. The sizes of trucks available on rent are cargo vans, 10-feet trucks, 16-feet trucks and 24-feet trucks. Truck rental companies often claims that its trucks have an average age of two to three years.
Truck rental companies also provides hand trucks, packing paddings, adhesive tapes, ropes, packing paper, mattress bags, padlocks, boxes etc at a nominal cost. Most of the rental trucks have air conditioning, FM radio, power steering, automatic transmission, power brakes, walk off ramps, lift gates etc and they are really comfortable.
The rented trucks are often covered by roadside assistance. The internet websites of truck rental companies are full with information about types of trucks, prices etc. Most websites have a very user friendly interactive page where the pick up and drop off locations are mentioned. Online reservations and quoting rates are available on the sites.
An example, if a person is renting a Budget rental truck from Atlanta to New York (approx 1,100 miles) on a Wednesday and dropping off on the coming Monday that is for 5 days. It will approximately cost 650 for a 10-feet truck, 680 for a 16-feet truck and 830 for a 24-feet truck. A car carrier cost will be 50 extra. Out of the above mentioned rates 150 will be refunded as deposit.
The above rates do not include taxes. The extra miles will cost 0.56 per mile and an extra day will cost 56 per day if reserved before hand. If you add extra miles or days after pick up, the cost will be 0.70 per mile and extra days will cost 70 per day.
It is prudent to read the terms and conditions before renting and a cancelation has to be made at least 48 hours before pick up otherwise you will be charged extra for the cancellation.
At the time of a truck rental two things will be required, identification and U.S. issued drivers license. Identification can be drivers license, passport, Military ID, Social security card, phone bill, state issued identification etc.
The advantages of renting a truck are many. You are in charge of your goods, the trucks are in good condition, it has usually many locations and it provides a low cost moving solution.
While you are planning to purchase a trailer, always consider the requirement of the specific size of the trailer. The maximum tongue weight and load carrying capacity of the tow vehicle are the other factors that should be considered. Do not forget to verify your trailers weight once it is fully loaded with what you have actually decided to haul. So, it is better to determine the weight of items you are planning to tow.
Utility trailers are of great use for both home owners and contactors as well. These multipurpose utility trailers are available in varied sizes so as to cater to your specific requirements like for lifting lawn mowers, vehicles, golf carts as well as ideal for hauling small equipment too. Car haulers are used for specific purpose of hauling your vehicles, including personal car or racing car. Apart from car haulers, another variety is equipment trailer which are used to transfer skid loaders, excavators, and small tractors. Dump trailers are used for small purposes at homes as well as for commercial purposes. These types of dump trailers are available in various types of models, sizes and weights.
A gooseneck trailer is also an important variety of trailers that has been introduced especially for heavy loads and towing of equipments as these trailers have an enhanced stability and tighter turning of radius.
No matter whether you are opting for car hauler, dump trailers, equipment trailer, gooseneck trailer or utility trailer, there are few points that you should always mind before making your choice. The capacity of the trailer to carry the load along with maximum weight of the tongue should not be neglected. It is better to determine the weight of the items you are preparing to tow before actually doing it. Weight is also an important determiner to decide the number of axles that will be required by your trailers. Besides weight, the size of the items that are expected to tow, its purpose along with the budget for the load are some of the aspects that one should consider before deciding the kind of trailer that is required by them. So, be careful while making the choice of utility trailers and car haulers as they should meet suit the specific requirements of your load.
For more information about car haulers, dump trailers, gooseneck trailers, utility trailers, visit: www.texasbraggtrailers.com
Most people who buy pickup trucks are interested in the ability to haul cargo easily. Many are farmers, construction workers, movers, or otherwise. But how many times have you been speeding down the highway or interstate only to come up on a pickup truck and realize that the driver has not properly secured the cargo he or she is carrying? Unsecured cargo has been the cause of many fatality and non-fatality accidents, and these accidents were completely preventable.
What is the best way to secure cargo in the bed of a pickup? Here are some tips.
Use a cargo net. For only $60, Isuzu sells a Bed Web Net made of a tough elastic material and designed to stretch. The mount hardware is included and installation is easy. The net keeps cargo from flying out or sliding out of the back even during hard stops or fast turns.
Buy a bed extender. Designed for the Isuzu i-370, the Bed Extender, made of steel, retails for well under $300 and gives pickup owners additional truck bed length. This particular bed extender has the ability to swing in to provide a contained cargo area as well.
Bed Covers work well too. Many pickup models also can be accessorized with bed covers that not only keep cargo inside, but help to hide it and prevent theft as well.
Cargo Sports Bags are another option. These are often used in SUVs as well and do an excellent job of keeping smaller items from rolling around or flying out of pickup truck cargo beds.
Use a safety flag or light. Laws differ by state, but many require a red cargo flag or safety light be used when transporting cargo that extends beyond the cargo bed of a pickup. For example, in the state of California, when the load on any vehicle extends at least four feet from the rear of the pickup’s body, the driver must use a fluorescent orange flag, or solid red flag at least twelve inches by twelve inches at the extreme end of the load. In addition, if the vehicle is operating after dusk, there must also be two lighted red lights at the end of the load visible at minimum of 500 feet to the side and the rear of the vehicle for safety.
It’s also important to keep in mind that using these precautions, as well as others will protect the cargo itself. When hauling cargo, it’s important to drive more cautiously than normal and make slow, steady turns. The added weight of your load can make turning more difficult and brakes may not respond as quickly or efficiently as when driving without cargo.
Every pickup truck has cargo weight guidelines. It’s extremely important to obey these guidelines. While it might not be simple to actually weigh the load you plan to haul, it is better to err on the side of caution if estimating. Hauling additional weight beyond the manufacturer’s guideline can significantly increase your chance of an accident or damage to your vehicle. There is also a chance you could be ticketed by law enforcement for hauling a load heavier than your pickup is designed to carry.
