Career Move? What it Takes to Drive a Commercial Vehicle

Becoming a commercial vehicle driver provides a high employment rate, and the average driver will make more than $40,000 a year. This level of stability is enticing for many people, but it is important to carefully consider the physical and mental demands that are placed on a commercial driver before you move forward. After all, sitting in a semi-truck or other commercial vehicle all day is not nearly as easy as it sounds. However, if your personality is well-suited to this type of job, you should be able to find employment relatively easily.

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Things You Need to Know About Commercial Driving

1. Safety Concerns - It is imperative for anyone who is driving to pay close attention to the road, but this can be complicated by the size of a commercial vehicle. For example, semi-trucks have large blind spots, and they also have the tendency to cross over lanes when they turn. Because of this, you will need to learn how to accurately judge distance, and you will also need to remain cognizant at all times of the other vehicles on the road. Although the odds will be on your side during an accident, you do not ever want to be put into a position where you need to hire an attorney to represent you during an accident case, especially if the other driver does not survive the incident.

Another safety concern are the long distances most commercial trucks need to travel. Driving on long trips means you need to make sure your faculties aren't compromised by hunger, dehydration, overheating, or fatigue. It also means you need to be aware of the driving laws particular to each state through which you're traveling. You may know a truck accident attorney North Carolina based, for example, but you might find yourself in a truck accident in Colorado.

2. The Perfect Personality Type - Although there are countless types of people who drive commercial vehicles, it is definitely a job that is best suited to individuals who have certain shared characteristics. Driving a commercial vehicle will often require you to drive 11 hours per day, and many people are not physically or mentally capable of doing this on a regular basis. It is also important for a commercial vehicle driver to be prepared to spend a lot of time by themselves. For this reason, it is common for introverted individuals to be drawn to the idea of driving a semi-truck.

3. Differences Between a Commercial and Passenger Vehicle - Many people do not realize it, but driving a vehicle can be physically taxing. For example, if you are driving up a steep hill for an extended period of time, you are going to feel it in your leg even in a passenger vehicle. Because a commercial vehicle will be much larger, you will feel a much larger physical impact when you are driving in difficult conditions. Additionally, you will need to pay close attention to clearance heights and grade changes to ensure that you do not crash or drive off of the road.

If you love the idea of spending a lot of time on the road, driving a commercial vehicle might be the right choice for a career move. Keep in mind that you will need to go through a specialized driver's training course to receive a commercial license before you will be eligible to look for employment. Once you complete this process, you will have the option of looking for a short or long distance driving job, but you are most likely to find work as a long distance semi-truck driver.

About Author: Savannah is a freelance writer and blog contributor from Atlanta, GA who has been driving for over a decade. Driving a commercial vehicle carries many more responsibilities, and research is required. Auger & Auger Attorneys at Law, a truck accident attorney North Carolina based, helps clients understand the major legal and safety concerns for commercial drivers. Overweighted trucks and insufficient federal safety inspections, for example, are among the many safety issues commercial drivers should keep in mind.