Category: Improve Trucker Safety

Drive Safe And Stay Safe: Important Trucking Tips To Know This Summer

Posted on June 20, 2022 by - ”trucking company”, driver safety, driving safety, Improve Trucker Safety, Trucker Safety

When driving a truck, there are several things every driver should know to stay safe on the road. ExpressTruckTax is here to give you some helpful tips to ensure that you stay safe this summer and that others around you stay safe too. Driving a big truck can be a big responsibility so it is always good to remember that it differs significantly from driving a standard car in many ways. 

A semi-truck has a greater braking distance than a standard car, so it is important to keep a large distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. This prevents the vehicle from being rear-ended if you don’t have a big enough distance to stop when driving behind someone. If you make sure to keep your distance then you will not only keep yourself safe but also keep others safe too. This is also true for stopping at stop signs or intersections.

It is also important to check mirrors and your blind spots when driving. A semi-truck has especially large blind spots on the right side and back. Because of this, it is important to stay in the right lane when possible to prevent people from passing on your right side. If you do not see them then that can put both you and the other driver at risk. 

Another important thing to remember is that turning in a semi-truck is a lot different than turning in a regular vehicle. When turning it is important to remember that turning takes a lot of extra space than in an ordinary car. It is important to check your mirrors and surroundings to make sure it is safe to turn. If you do not check thoroughly, then you run the risk of hitting another vehicle and causing serious injury. 

Driving at a safe speed is another important thing to remember when driving a truck. This ensures that if you need to stop you can do so safely without slamming the brakes to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of you. It is important to also maintain a safe speed when turning or driving on curved roads to keep your vehicle from tipping over. 

Always remember to wear a seatbelt when driving a vehicle. This is especially important for preventing any serious injuries if an accident were to occur because many traffic-related deaths occur due to the lack of a seatbelt. 

Staying focused on the road and not being distracted by things like your phone is also important while driving. Talking or texting while driving without using hands-free features is illegal in many states. This is because it promotes distracted driving and could very well lead to there being an accident. 

When driving a truck it is important to keep your stamped Schedule 1 on hand in case you get pulled over. If you do not have your Schedule 1 in your truck then there is a good chance that you will receive a ticket or be penalized. In order to keep this from happening you must E-file Form 2290. The best way to do this is with ExpressTruckTax. With ExpressTruckTax, you can file your Form 2290 with ease and receive your stamped Schedule 1 in minutes. What are you waiting for? File Form 2290 with ExpressTruckTax today!

New Bill Could Ban Human Trafficking Convicts From Getting a CDL

Posted on October 2, 2017 by - CDL Ban For Human Trafficking convicts, Fighting Human Trafficking, Improve Trucker Safety, truck drivers, Trucker Safety, truckers, Truckers Against Trafficking

ExpressTruckTax is partners with Truckers Against Trafficking because we believe in what’s being done in the trucking industry to save lives and fight human trafficking. Every part of the fight is to make our roads a safer place helps put an end to the human slavery that exists today.

Although there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, the trucking industry can celebrate a win in the fight against trafficking, because the U.S. Senate approved two bills that would greatly crackdown on human trafficking in commercial vehicles.

No Human Trafficking On Our Roads Act

The No Human Trafficking On Our Roads Act is the bill that if passed will disqualify anyone with human trafficking convictions from holding a CDL permanently. Meaning they would have a lifetime CDL ban. The act specifies that the CDL ban would be placed on any trucker “who uses a commercial vehicle in committing a felony involving an act or practice [in violation of] the Trafficking Victims Protection Act”.

Even though this bill has been approved by the Senate, it still has a ways to go because it needs to be passed by the House and president Trump would need to sign it for it to go into effect. Then it would greatly affect those in the industry who have been convicted of a human trafficking felony because they would lose their CDL.

Combating Human Trafficking In Commercial Vehicles Act

Another bill passed by the Senate is the Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act which would create a major human trafficking effort across DOT agencies. As a result of the bill, which is sponsored by Senator Amy Klobuchar, the position of human trafficking coordinator would be established.

The secretary of Transportation would select someone to fill the position and along with coordinating with multiple DOT agencies to create efforts towards preventing trafficking the bill would increase human trafficking education, Reporting efforts at FMCSA, improve human trafficking outreach, and even provide financial assistance to CDL schools that provide anti-human trafficking education.

You Can Help 

Human Trafficking

With 20.9 people enslaved worldwide human trafficking exists in many different forms. We know that it exists outside of the trucking industry, but it also exists in the industry and it’s up the honest, hard-working drivers to do their part to put an end to it by spreading awareness.

Eliminating human trafficking from our Nation’s highways will help to put an end to human slavery. All you have to do to help is make a call Truckers Against Trafficking at 1-888-37-37-888 if you see the signs of trafficking. Making the call is free and it only takes a minute or two. Plus, the one simple call could save lives. To learn the signs and for more educational tools click here.

Thank You Doing Your Part 

The first part of fighting human trafficking is to be aware that it exists. The second part of the fight is to stand up for what’s right and to do your part to stop it by spreading awareness and by reporting the signs if you see them. Thank you for being brave enough to stand up for this cause, to end human trafficking, not just among commercial vehicles, but in all forms of its existence.

Please share your thoughts about ending human trafficking in the comment section below and visit ExpressTruckTax.com for more trucking blogs.https://www.expresstrucktax.com

Why Trucking Is The Most Dangerous Profession

Posted on September 15, 2017 by - dangerous driving, Dangers of trucking, Distracted driving, Driving Tired, Improve Trucker Safety, Make roads safer, trucker health, Trucker Lives Matter, Trucker Obesity, Trucker Safety

Truck Driving is the most dangerous job

You know what we think is a honk worthy cause? Trucker safety. Not only do we want you to be safe, but we would like for the safety of all drivers on our nation’s roads to be improved. We don’t want drivers to make an early trip to the golden highway in the sky, but unfortunately, truck driving is a dangerous profession.

According to the government’s workplace fatality census, truck driving was the most hazardous job last year, so stay educated on the dangers included with your occupation and take the measures that you can to become a safer driver. Let’s check out the leading causes of dangerous trucking to spread awareness.

The Dangers On Our Roads

Distracted Driving

We understand that cell phones have gotten way better over the years, and they can do a ton of cool stuff, making them be incredibly distracting. When you’re tweeting, posting, and snap chatting behind the wheel your eyes aren’t on the road and that’s extremely dangerous.

Put your phone down unless you’re safely parked. If you need to make a call use one of the many modern hands-free devices that are available. Other causes of distracted driving include reading while driving, eating, fixing your hair, rubber necking, messing with your radio or navigation system, and more.

Driving Tired

Trucking is an exhausting job, make sure that you get the rest that you need. Driving tired causes impaired reaction time, judgment, and vision. It can also cause decreased performance, vigilance, and increased aggression. It’s basically like driving drunk. Make sure you get 8 hours of sleep a night and if you’re tired take a break to get in a power nap.

Sometimes people don’t know that they aren’t well rested because they have sleep apnea, the silent killer. If you wake up feeling exhausted, with headaches, feeling confused, out of breath, or wake up due to coughing consider getting screened for sleep apnea, so you can take the steps towards correcting the issue to greatly improve your safety and quality of life.

Living An Unhealthy Lifestyle

You’ve probably seen some strange things around truck stops, including people with their bare stomachs hanging out of their shirts. That’s because truckers can gain so much weight so quickly that they grow out of their clothes before they notice. A poor diet and lack of exercise can quickly put you up the creek without a paddle.

 

Trucker Safety

Obesity can quickly lead to conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and sleep apnea. It can also increase your risk for strokes, heart attacks, gout, osteoarthritis, and more. Trucking involves a lot of sitting but you don’t have to let it destroy your health.

Pack your own meals or choose from some of the healthier fast food options. Grilled salads with avocado and hard boiled eggs are actually incredibly filling options these days. Just go easy on the dressing, cheese, and croutons. You could also try grilled chicken wraps or fish. Also, get rid of sugary soda for green tea or black coffee.

Do your best to move around a little. By taking the time to briskly walk around truck stops or your rig you will burn a sufficient amount of calories. There is also quite a bit of nifty strength training equipment you can take in your rig. 

Stay Safe Out There

We know that this information is grim, but it’s important to spread awareness in order to make our roads a safer place. On a good note, the rate of trucker fatalities has been decreasing each year. By pulling together to drive safer and to practice healthier habits in the trucking industry we can continue to improve safety.

Please add your tips about trucker safety in the comment section below and visit ExpressTruckTax.com for more trucking blogs.