All van drivers are at a significant risk of being involved in a collision. That is because they spend more time on the roads than average motorists. Whether you work for yourself or a reputable courier firm makes little difference. You’ll still find yourself in hot water if you fail to drive properly and take precautions. Staying safe on the road is not only for your benefit. It is also to help protect other motorists. No matter why you drive a van on a daily basis, the tips in this post should help you to avoid any major incidents. When all’s said and done, you just need to use your head and follow standard guidance.
Do not use your mobile phone
People who spend the bulk of their working day on the roads are more likely to use a mobile phone behind the wheel. You should avoid doing that at all costs. Even the best driver in the world will make mistakes if he is not concentrating. Decent hands-free kits are not expensive these days, and your employer might foot the bill if you need one. That said, you should aim to limit the amount of calls you take behind the wheel. That is the case, even if you do not have the phone in your hands. Talking to anyone while driving can be distracting, and that often leads to mistakes.
Take regular breaks
You are not supposed to drive for more than a few hours without taking a long break. In the UK, it is advised all professional drivers pull over for half an hour after driving for four. The legal limit for the time spent behind the wheel in a single day is ten hours. If you find yourself driving for longer than that amount of time, you need to make changes to your routine. Not only are you breaking the law, but you are also putting your life at risk. If you fall asleep at 70 mph on the motorway, bad things could happen.
Get the right insurance
Self-employed van drivers will be responsible for dealing with insurance themselves. However, those of you working for an established company should ask your employers to handle the task. Just make sure they know that Insure Fleet and other relevant providers offer discounts on multiple policies. So, it makes sense for them to use the same company to cover all their vehicles. Not having the right insurance could mean you find yourself in trouble with the law following a collision. Like it or not, the driver will take at least some of the blame. At the end of the day, you shouldn’t have driven the van out of the yard if you knew it wasn’t insured.
We hope you have learned a lot from this post, and that you will be in a better position to stay safe on the roads. If you are concerned about your driving skills, there is nothing wrong with booking a refresher course and buffing up. You will also find many advanced driving courses that might be suitable.