Top tips for winter driving from Chris Keen, Senior Truck Trainer

- Chris Keen

Truck technology can be your best friend when it’s freezing.

Technology is at your disposal with Mercedes-Benz trucks. The vehicles are equipped with a whole host of features to help make winter driving easier, such as the Differential Lock, which locks up to achieve less wheel slip in difficult conditions and the Dump Axle, which transfers all the weight onto the drive axle, increasing traction on slippery surfaces.

“Using the technology of the vehicles is very, very important” says Chris, who describes how many drivers may not fully understand how it all works and the benefits it provides.

“Last year I spoke to an owner driver and he understood the truck technology and when the ‘Beast from East’ came, he was at a truck stop where there were quite a few Mercedes-Benz trucks struggling to get out. He actually went out to them and showed them how to do it – five trucks took his advice and off they went.”

Do you need a refresh? Mercedes-Benz Truck Training courses, based at the Truck Training Centre of Excellence at Wentworth Park in South Yorkshire, are aimed at helping drivers improve their on-road skills, make the best possible use of their truck’s features, and learn how to operate a Mercedes-Benz vehicle in the most efficient way possible.

As Chris says, “We recognise that the drivers on our courses are already experienced, and so we’re not showing them how to drive a truck, but how to get the best out of their vehicle and become even better drivers.”

Assess the risks.

Certain elements can specifically affect truckers, one of which is high winds. If your truck has a trailer you can be at risk of toppling over when faced with strong winds. Chris’s top tip? “If you’ve got a large trailer with a curtain side on, tie your curtains back so the wind can pass through with no resistance.”

Keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front should be mandatory all year-round; however it’s especially necessary in challenging climates, particularly on wet or icy roads.

It’s also important to be aware when offloading deliveries – snow and ice underfoot can cause nasty falls and injuries, which inconvenience you and the supply chain.

- Chris Keen

Driver well-being is essential.

“We’ve got a lot of safety systems on our vehicles but we can’t just rely on them in the bad weather, we rely on the driver too,” explains Chris.

A lot of the time it comes down to good common sense and careful driving, something Chris teaches on all of his courses. Stressful situations and difficult driving conditions can put lots of strain on drivers, particularly when they’re desperate to get home – this can lead to fatigue and reckless decisions. Keep calm, take your time, stop for breaks and don’t feel under pressure to keep going if the roads are treacherous.

He points out, “What we don’t want to perish is the driver.”

Be aware.

Snow and ice left on truck roofs can fly off in to the path of other vehicles whilst in transit; after a snowfall or bout of frosty ice, a driver must clear the roof of their cab and trailer to prevent any accidents.

Truck trivia.

Ever wondered which are the world’s coldest roads?

We’ve rounded them up for you! So if you fancy braving the bitter cold check these out:

• Cairnwell Pass, Scotland – the highest main road in the UK with a summit 670m above sea level, often means it’s blocked by snow in winter.
• Arjeplog, Sweden – located just south of the Arctic Circle, the town is next to Lake Hornavan where temperatures reach – 20°C and the water freezes solid. Many drivers and engineers test their vehicles and operate winter driving schools here.
• Kolyma Highway, Russia – often referred to as the coldest road in the world, the tough highway is built on permafrost and is only 50km from Oymyakon – the coldest inhibited place on earth where temps plummet to – 50°C.
• The McMurdo Highway, Antarctica – the 995-mile road was constructed by flattening snow and filling crevasses. It’s used by the military and scientists to transport supplies to the South Pole station – specially modified Caterpillar tractors tow cargo sleds for up to 40 days at a time.
• Dalton Highway, Alaska – featured on television show Ice Road Truckers, the famous road was built to support the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline with up to 250 trucks crossing the treacherous road every day. High winds and blizzards are a risk factor plus temperatures can drop to – 32°C.

Stay safe.

We hope the weather doesn’t drastically change over the coming months in the UK, but if it does, remember to follow Chris’s advice and don’t take any unnecessary risks – driver safety is paramount, or as Chris puts it, “If there’s doubt, don’t go out”.

Been stranded in the snow?

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