2.2 Basic Control of Your Vehicle

2.2 Basic Control of Your Vehicle

To drive a vehicle safely, you must be able to control its speed and direction. Safe operation of a commercial vehicle required skill in:
• Accelerating
• Steering
• Shifting gears
• Braking

Fasten your seatbelt when on the road. Apply the parking brake when you leave your vehicle

Accelerating

Don’t roll back when you start. You may hit someone behind you. Partly engage the clutch before you take your right foot off the brake. Put on the parking brake whenever necessary to keep from rolling back. Release the parking brake only when you have applied enough engine power to keep from rolling back. On a tractor-trailer equipped with a trailer brake hand valve, the hand valve can be applied to keep from rolling back.

Speed up smoothly and gradually so the vehicle does not jerk. Rough acceleration can cause mechanical damage. When pulling a trailer, rough acceleration can damage the coupling device.

Speed up very gradually when traction is poor, as in rain or snow. If you use too much power, the drive wheels may spin. You could lose control. If the drive wheels begin to spin, take your foot off the accelerator.

Steering

Hold the Wheel Properly. Hold the steering wheel firmly with both hands. Your hands should be on opposite sides of the wheel. If you hit a curb or a pothole (chuckhole), the wheel could pull away from your hands unless you have a firm hold.

Backing Safely

Because you cannot see everything behind your vehicle, backing is always dangerous. Avoid backing whenever you can. When you park, try to park so you will be able to pull forward when you leave. When you have to back, here are a few simple safety rules:
• Look at your path
• Back slowly using the 4-way hazard lights
• Back and turn toward the driver’s side whenever possible
• Use a helper whenever possible
• Get out and look

These rules are discussed in more detail below.

Look at Your Path. Look at your line of travel before you begin. Get out and walk around the vehicle. Check your clearance to the sides and overhead in and near the path your vehicle will take.

Back Slowly. Activate 4-way hazard lights before backing. Always back as slowly as possible. Use the lowest reverse gear. That way you can more easily correct any steering errors. You also can stop quickly if necessary.

Back and Turn Toward the Driver’s Side. Back to the driver’s side so you can see better. Backing toward the right side is very dangerous because you can’t see as well. If you back and turn toward the driver’s side, you can watch the rear of your vehicle by looking out the side window. Use driver-side backing-even if it means going around the block to put you r vehicle in this position. The added safety is worth it.

Use a Helper. Use a helper when you can. There are blind spots you can’t see. That’s why helper is important.

The helper should stand near the back of your vehicle where you can see the helper. Before you begin backing, work out a set of hand signals that you both understand. Agree on a signal for “stop.”

Backing with a Trailer

Backing with a Trailer. When backing a car, straight truck, or bus, you turn the top of the steering wheel toward the direction you want to go. When backing a trailer, you turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction. Once the trailer starts to turn, you must turn the wheel the other way to follow the trailer.

Whenever you back with a trailer, try to position you vehicle so you can back in a straight line. If you must back on a curved path, back to the driver’s side so you can see.

Back slowly. This will let you make corrections before you get too far off course.

Use the mirrors. The mirrors will help you see whether the trailer is drifting to one side or the other.

Correct drift immediately. As soon as you see the trailer getting off the proper path, correct it by turning the top of the steering wheel in the direction of the drift.

Pull forward. When backing a trailer, make pull-ups to re-position your vehicle as needed.

G.O.A.L. Get out and look, if you are unsure what is behind you.

Safety First!
Jayson Z