What is essential for managing risk while driving commercial vehicles?

Managing risk while driving commercial vehicles is fundamentally about maintaining a high level of awareness and employing defensive driving techniques. This approach emphasizes the importance of understanding and anticipating potential hazards on the road, such as other vehicles, road conditions, weather changes, and pedestrian activity.

By being aware of your surroundings, you can make informed decisions that enhance safety. Defensive driving techniques, such as maintaining a safe following distance, using mirrors correctly, and being prepared for unexpected actions from other road users, are crucial to reducing the likelihood of accidents.

This is particularly vital for commercial drivers, who often operate larger and more complex vehicles, making them more challenging to control and stop quickly if a situation arises. Thus, integrating situational awareness with defensive driving practices is key to minimizing risks associated with driving commercial vehicles.