15 Aug, 2023/ by National Accident Helpline /News
Check and prepare your vehicle and load
You must check and prepare your vehicle and load before setting off on an HGV journey. This includes making sure your load is secure before you leave.. If you leave your load unsecured, you run the risk of the load toppling, falling out or spilling, which can cause danger to others and potentially a road traffic accident.
Checking and preparing your vehicle and load includes ensuring that you have ample fuel when you set off for your journey too. If you do have to refuel, remember to take your keys out of the trucks and lock all doors to prevent your lorry from being stolen.
Plan ahead and be prepared
One essential tip for safe HGV driving is to plan ahead and be prepared. Planning means that you are ready for bad weather conditions and for traffic peaks, which can help prevent potential accidents.
Planning and being prepared can include planning a change of route rather than using your familiar one.
When you plan and prepare for your journey it means making sure that you check and maintain your vehicle, so be sure to:
- check the tyres
- check your lights and signals
- adjusting your mirrors
Ensure your route allows for breaks
As an HGV driver, you often have to travel long distances, which could cause you to eventually lose concentration. This could affect your alertness and reaction time, important factors in prevents road traffic accidents.
If you feel tired when HGV driving you must take a break, even if it was not the break you initially planned. It is a good idea to take a break for about 15-30 minutes every 3-4 hours to ensure that you remain alert when HGV driving.
Beware of distractions
An important word of advice, when you are HGV driving, is to beware of directions. Distractions to avoid are, for example:
- taking your eyes off the road
- failing to keep your hand firmly on the steering wheel
- using your phone when driving
- eating at the wheel
Listening to music can also be a distraction when driving your HGV vehicle and could cause a road traffic accident.
In addition to ensuring you beware of distractions, you should make sure that you maintain awareness when HGV driving. This can mean being aware of your surroundings, which can include when you are parked for a rest for the night. For example, when you get out of the lorry, do not walk in between vehicles and make sure your rear lorry doors cannot be accessed.
Be alert to other road users
As an HGV driver, you manoeuvre a very large vehicle so you must be alert to other road users to avoid colliding with and potentially injuring them.
One way to do this is by defensive driving, which is when you drive looking out for other drivers on the road. This helps you to make safe choices as to how you drive your HGV vehicle. This can include, for example:
- looking out for blind spots
- staying calm
- slowing down where you are unsure
- being ready for emergencies
Being alert to other road users includes those on foot on the road. They may try to get into your cab when you stop at lights so you should know how to use anti-theft systems if you have them.
Watch your speed
An obvious but crucial piece of advice for HGV driving is to ensure that you watch your speed. If you properly plan your route, you shouldn't need to drive too fast. Driving too fast is not only unsafe but it can damage the loads you are transporting.
Be patient
Being patient on the road can include many different things. One of those is making sure that you do not tailgate other vehicles but instead keep a safe distance between your HGV vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. If the vehicle in front of your HGV vehicle breaks suddenly, you could cause a road traffic accident.
Be considerate
As an HGV driver, you must be considerate of others to ensure safety when driving to avoid an accident. You are driving an incredibly large vehicle so should be extra considerate to those around you. People are not as aware of the size of your vehicle as you are. This means, for example, giving others space on the road.
What to do in a road traffic accident involving an HGV
If you happen to be involved in an HGV road traffic accident, it is important to know what to do. You should, for example:
- call for emergency help
- ensure you turn your hazards on
- where possible exchange details with other drivers
- where possible take photos of the accident scene for any potential accident compensation claim
Can I claim if I have an HGV accident?
If you have an HGV accident where you were not at fault, you can make a road traffic accident claim. Injuries involving an HGV vehicle can be very serious and even potentially life-changing. Therefore, you must claim any compensation you are justifiably owed. Making a compensation claim can help you get on better with what has sadly become a more difficult life for you.
At National Accident Helpline, we can help you to make your HGV accident claim today! Simply call , or if it is easier, you can request a call back here. If you prefer, you can even begin your claim online.
How can making an HGV accident claim help my recovery?
Making a compensation claim, for any injury or accident can help you with your recovery. A road traffic accident claim for an HGV accident can help you on your road to recovery by:
- providing you with a financial reward which can allow you to properly adjust to any changes to your life as a result of your accident
- giving you some sense of justice from unfairly falling victim to an HGV accident as the person or organisation responsible has to pay for their mistake
- allowing you to experience some positivity in your life after a very difficult period suffering from your HGV accident
How do I make a no-win no-fee accident claim?
At National Accident Helpline, we know how devastating an HGV road traffic accident can be. So we do our utmost to make sure that you get the compensation you fairly deserve.
To make applying for the compensation claim that is rightly yours easier, we offer you an HGV driving accident claim on a no-win no fee basis. No-win no-fee compensation claims mean that where you may feel a little timid about making a compensation claim, as perhaps you are not sure whether the accident was your fault, we take away any risk for you. This is because, with a no-win no-fee claim, you pay nothing to make the claim! So you risk nothing if you lose.
In addition, the claims process with National Accident Helpline is simple and stress-free. We know that since your HGV driving accident, your life has been far from that and we want to change that for you. That's why our advisors are patient and sympathetic. They will listen to how your HGV accident occurred and then pass all the details to one of our expert specialist solicitors who will complete your compensation claim.
Did you know that we also provide a facility to let you calculate your potential compensation online? You can do so by using our compensation calculator, which will give you an idea of how much you will get.
Let National Accident Helpline help you with your HGV accident claim today by calling . Alternatively, you can request a call back here or even begin your claim online.
Last updated 15.08.23