Driving Through the Mountains With Confidence | West Coast Enterprises

One of the best parts of operating a semi or car hauler is all of the places that this job can take you. We get to see oceans, plains, large cities and the beautiful mountain views across the country. While all of these sights are exciting and can keep you entertained along the way, it is important to change up the way you drive in order to stay safe.

This is especially true when it comes to mountain driving! The steep grade and unpredictable nature of the mountains can create some pretty dangerous scenarios if you are not careful. Refresh your memory on these simple safety tips before you begin your next climb into the skies:

Watch the Grade

As you enter mountain country, watch for signs alerting you to grade changes. Most steep hills or climbs will come with a grade warning, but don’t just judge a hill by looking at it.

The threat of overheating is probably the biggest hazard while climbing a steep grade, so turn on your engine fan and keep an eye on your temperature gauge. Go slow to give your engine the time it needs to function without overheating.

What goes up must come down! As you make your way over the hill and find yourself slowly coming back down, give yourself the time you need to stay in control by going slower. Your truck is carrying a massive amount of weight, and that can make it much harder to slow down quickly when you need to. Turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers to your reduced speed.

Control Your Traction

While you can control your speed, it can be harder to control your traction because we can’t control the elements. If your schedule takes you through the mountains when it is icy or slippery outside, take extra safety precautions to avoid jackknifing or serious spinouts. Put on your tire chains before even starting your climb and then pull over to take them off after you are out of the mountains.

If you do end up having to drive through snow, create your own tire tracks and avoid driving through the ones created by other drivers. Those ruts can quickly become compressed into slippery ice that can make you lose control.

Knowing When to Wait

We can all pride ourselves on our abilities to navigate through tricky terrain or the elements, but we all also need to know when to call it quits for the time being. If the conditions become too hazardous or a storm is predicted to hit right when you are going to be in the middle of your mountain journey, making the right decision and pulling off the road to wait it out is sometimes the best choice.

After all, arriving late is better than risking it all to get there on time. Keeping these tips in mind can help you stay confident and in control no matter what the mountains throw your way on your next journey. Stay safe out there, truckers!

We can help you find the perfect truck or hauler. Check out our inventory at West Coast Enterprises today.