Driving commercial vehicle during, especially so in Canada, can be perilous and risk attached. With the conditions of both the road and other drivers unpredictable during these times, it is essential for business owners to ensure their drivers’ safety during this season. To do so, Aaxel Insurance Mississauga recommends communicating commercial vehicle winter safety protocol clearly and equipping drivers and vehicles with the correct supplies and knowledge to handle whatever winter throws at them.
Be sure to double-check and ensure your vehicle fleets are in optimal condition before every trip.
- All vehicles should be using winter tires, be topped up on all essential fluids including engine oil and windshield washer amongst others and have over half a tank of gas at all times.
- Cold weather often damages and causes trouble to a vehicle’s battery, which is why inspecting it before each trip is of the utmost importance. Aaxel Insurance Mississauga strongly suggests replacing the vehicle battery if it is older than three years, as a battery this old can burn out and become dysfunctional.
Equip your drivers with an emergency kit for each vehicle. The emergency kit should include:
- A blanket
- Flashlight/spare batteries
- First aid kit
- Non-perishable food and water
- Salt
- Jumper Cables, etc.
Prior to having your drivers operate their vehicles in poor weather conditions, Aaxel Insurance Mississauga strongly suggests creating and issuing out a correct operations protocol.
We believe that communication during this weather is amongst the most important steps in commercial vehicle use in the winter. At the very least, drivers should be aware of the following items:
- Clear off all snow and ice from your vehicles whenever possible. Firstly, it is illegal to operate a vehicle if this snow and ice is not removed, but more importantly it helps to ensure the safety of other drivers on the road.
- These conditions are harsh and often times difficult to drive in, so driving with an extra sense of cautiousness is important. Drive slowly and leave space for others while actively looking at the road for black ice and pedestrians.
- There are certain areas on a driver’s route that are extra perilous with an increased risk, including exit ramps, bridges, intersections and windy/flat areas among others.
- While driving in the winter in itself poses an additional risk to drivers due to its overall unpredictability, Aaxel Insurance Mississauga believes that by implementing a clear plan and following the guidelines listed above, this risk can be mitigated effectively.
