Mountain driving can be intimidating for truck drivers, especially for first-time or inexperienced drivers. You may quickly gain confidence on mountain routes if you follow some basic safety rules and take advantage of the safety features available to you. It always helps if you are familiar with the area you are visiting. A driver, on the other hand, can get sᴜʀᴘʀɪsᴇd by an unexpected patch of ice lurking around the corner. When traveling on hilly terrain, keep these mountain driving tips in mind, especially for new truck drivers.
‘Slow and steady wins the race,’ is the best safety driving tip I can give you for mountain routes. No truck driver has ever been caught speeding down a mountain. Always make your way down the hill. Because they thought they could judge a grade by its appearance, some drivers make the mistake of driving too fast on a steep grade. It’s difficult to tell the grade of a hill just by looking at it. It’s nearly impossible to regain control of a truck once it starts descending a grade. Don’t put yourself in that situation. When I’m descending a hill, I like to let the jake brake do the work of keeping me in control. This is what has worked best for me during my truck driving career. I like to lightly touch the brake pedal now and then to keep the unit straight as I descend a hill. Even in the cooler winter months, if you’re climbing a steep grade, keep in mind that your truck can overheat. Pay attention to your truck and pull over if it becomes overworked.
Video resource: Super Truck World