In 2020, there were 415,000 large truck crashes, including 4,444 fatal crashes. Of those fatal crashes, 32% were due to a driver factor such as fatigue, distracted driving, and other driver errors, and 23% were due to the driver losing control of their vehicle.
Fleet managers need to ensure their drivers are adequately trained to drive safely and perform emergency maneuvers when unexpected events occur on the road. The problem is finding a way to host emergency maneuver training safely and repeatedly until it’s ingrained in the drivers’ brains.
Top 5 Situations Where Truckers Will Need to Use Emergency Maneuvers on the Road
These maneuvers can save not only a truck driver’s life but the lives of those around them.
1. Brake Failure
Brake failure is one of the scariest mechanical failures that can happen during real truck driving on the road. Here are the steps all drivers should take if they experience brake failure:
- Turn on emergency lights and use the horn to alert vehicles around them
- Reduce speed by reducing pressure on the accelerator and downshifting (if using a manual transmission)
- Activate the parking brake to help with reducing speed
- Pump brakes to see if the backup brakes will activate (if the vehicle has a dual brake system)
- If the brakes don’t work, look for a safe area off the road—if there isn’t a clear, safe area, look for the best area available
- Once the vehicle is stopped, call for assistance
2. Tire Blowout
When a tire blows out, a vehicle sways aggressively to the right or left without warning. It’s crucial the truck driver regains and keeps control of their vehicle immediately. They must:
- Hold the wheel tightly and steer the vehicle back into its lane
- Turn on emergency lights to warn other vehicles
- Slow the vehicle down without braking hard
- Look for a safe place to stop
- When safely stopped, call for assistance
3. Avoiding Collision
There are two reasons a trucker would use evasive steering: To avoid a rear-end or head-on collision. To avoid a rear-end collision, a truck driver must:
- Carefully turn away from the oncoming or upcoming vehicle, making sure to turn only as much as needed to prevent rollover or jackknifing, and use the hand-over-hand technique to make precise turns
- Do not brake while turning to prevent rollover or jackknifing
- Once safe, start to countersteer to regain control of the vehicle
To avoid a head-on collision, a truck driver must:
- Pull over to the right as much as possible, but retain one set of tires on the pavement
- Use a horn to alert the other driver, just in case they’re in a situation where they don’t realize what’s happening
- Once safe, carefully rejoin traffic
4. Sudden Obstacle Appearing
Emergency stopping may be required if an unexpected obstacle appears in front of a truck driver. If such a situation arises, a truck driver should:
- Apply steady pressure to the brake pedal and use a pumping motion to prevent a lockup
- Release the brakes when the wheels lock to avoid skidding
- If the driver cannot stop in time, start evasive steering maneuvers to avoid a collision
5. Having to Go Off the Road
When a truck driver needs to pull off the road, they must do so carefully to maintain control of their vehicle. They must:
- Brake and slow down before turning off the road
- Use a pumping motion while braking to avoid any skidding
- Keep the left wheels on the pavement, if possible, to reduce the amount of turning needed to get back onto the road
Practice Emergency Maneuver Training Safely with an L3Harris Driving Simulator
Many fleet managers struggle with truck driver training because there isn’t a safe way to host emergency maneuver training and have the drivers physically apply them in the real world.
The use of a driving simulator can change that. A simulator like TranSim mimics the feel of controlling a commercial truck. When a user turns the simulator’s wheel, the simulation also turns.
Using TranSim, fleet managers can train their drivers on how to use emergency maneuvers in a safe and controlled environment. If a driver fails to pull off such a maneuver, no damage is done to the vehicle or the driver. Instead, trainers can show why the driver failed and instruct them on how to do better next time.
Contact us today to learn more about L3Harris driving simulators.
