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We are well on our way into the fall months, after the season officially began in late September. This means we have been getting used to daylight hours being reduced, temperatures being lower, and leaves falling. With that comes a lot of other changes, specifically to roadways. As roadways go through changes, drivers must reaccommodate to adjust to the correct ways of the road. In order to stay safe while readjusting to the autumnal roads, here’s our top safety reminders.

Watch Out for School Traffic

Now, you may be thinking you have this down because schools have already been back in session in most places for a few weeks now, but it does not hurt to be reminded. Plus, at this point, any schools that had yet begun their instruction year has started their term. This means it is safe to assume any school zone is an active school zone at this time. This is especially important to remember as daylight hours adjust and weather changes to create more gloomy days. It may be darker in the mornings and therefore hard to see when people, especially children, are out and about.

Check Your Lights and Get an Overall Maintenance Check

As driving in the dark becomes more likely and common, be sure to have your lights in fully working condition. You will want to assure your headlights work properly to light the road as you drive and alert drivers in the opposite direction of your presence. Additionally, you will want to be sure your taillights are fully functional as well to accurately communicate to drivers when you are braking, as they may not be able to see the road ahead of you.

Prepare for Any Weather Condition

Fall weather is often unpredictable, especially as a truck driver who operates through different regions of the United States. You should always have an emergency kit in your truck that prepares you for different weather, but fall is especially the time to have this kit. Be sure to have extra clothes, some nonperishable food and water, an umbrella, snow chains, and anything else you may need to be comfortable in any situation.

Be Careful When Connecting Your Trailer

With colder weather, grease on trailers can thicken up. Depending on the kind of truck you operate, if you have a trailer attachment that attaches via a hitch, be aware of how weather changes may affect this process. Assure your vehicle is fully attached before you drive off.