When you drive a truck for a living, you will have a number of motoring rules and regulations you’ll have to comply with that wouldn’t necessarily apply if you were behind the wheel of a car. Take a look at our guide to staying within the law when you’re a truck driver. [Editor’s note: This article is written with British laws in mind].
Stick to Your Hours
The hours for a truck driver are very strict for a reason. They easily lay out the allotted time that you are allowed to drive, rest, and complete other work. You need to make sure that you always stick to them.
Even if you find yourself behind schedule it’s vital that you don’t drive for more than the allowed nine or ten hours per day, because not only will this keep you safe, but failing to comply with the rules around driving hours for HGV drivers could result in a £1,500 fine.
Differing Speed Limits
The weight of a vehicle can influence the speed it’s legally allowed to go, so it’s vital that you memorise the speed limits for your vehicle and make sure you never exceed them.
Full Paperwork
To be able to drive certain types of trucks, you need to make sure that you are fully licensed. The bigger the lorry, the more qualifications you will need to be able to drive it successfully.
You also need to make sure that you have up-to-date truck insurance as this can protect you, your vehicle, and your cargo. Finding an affordable policy at quotezone.co.uk will give you this protection. Make sure that all the paperwork you could need is in your cab so you can reach it at a moment’s notice.
Unload Cargo Safely
A lot of time should be spent at your starting point and destination ensuring that the cargo is properly taken care of. You need to make sure that you are following best practices for stowing and unloading the cargo. Doing either job too quickly could cause injury to you or damage to the cargo and neither of these is acceptable. This is just as important a task as driving the truck so you need to make sure that it is carried out correctly.
There is no question about it, you must stay within the law as a truck driver. Those regulations are in place for a reason and you need to make sure that you stick to them. By doing so, you will always be able to keep your health and livelihood happy for a very long time.
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