During the winter, your drivers are going to be driving in less than ideal weather. While the rules are generally the same in terms of driving a regular vehicle and a moving truck, adapting to cold, icy roads in the winter is a bit different for the latter. When your employees are driving during the winter, make sure they pay attention to these driving tips to increase employee safety and limit the chance of having to file a mover’s insurance claim:

1. Trucks take three to ten times longer to stop under normal operating conditions than cars. When driving in inclement weather such as rain or snow, increase your following distance substantially.
2. Completely remove snow and ice from all windows, lights, hood and rood. Always have a snowbrush and ice scraper in the truck during the move. The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority can prohibit vehicles from using roads if debris, such as snow and ice, could fall from the vehicle.
3. Make sure your windshield washer fluid, oil and anti-freeze are changed periodically.
4. Don’t let your fuel tank get below the one-quarter mark. When temperatures dip below freezing, sometimes vehicles may not start if there isn’t enough fuel in the tank.
5. Don’t force too much power to the drive wheels. This can cause you to lose traction when driving in the snow and result in a skid.
6. When driving through fog, slow down and turn on your lights. Keep lights at low beam! Turning on your high beams will cause the light to bounce back at you from water particles in the fog.
7. Use caution when getting into and out of the truck cab as well as on the cargo ramp. These areas can get slippery in the rain and snow and freeze up.
8. When snow is on the ground and the sun is out and shining, vision can be hindered by all the bright sunshine reflecting off the snow. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and  keep your eyes on the road.
9. Stock your truck with supplies such as warm clothing, blankets, flashlights, bottled water, road flares, jumper cables and a first aid kit.
10. Be aware of wind conditions and load weight.

At Wolpert Insurance & Risk Management, we want movers who are operating company trucks to be as safe as possible this winter. For more information on staying safe and avoiding any moving company insurance claims, contact us today for more information.