Truck drivers spend more time on the road than the rest of us and have a bit more responsibility. In addition to developing a better sense of direction than other drivers, truck drivers need to hone their recognition of helpful road signs. Find out the most important truck driver road signs to know ahead.
Grade Percentage
The first sign truck drivers will need to know is the grade percentage. This sign lets truck drivers know how to brake whenever driving downhill. The percentage represents the incline for every 100 feet. The higher percentage, the higher the incline, which will require drivers to adjust their braking.
Curve
A curve is another one of the most important truck driver road signs to know. In this scenario, curve signs appear, naturally, when you are approaching a turn on the road. A curve sign will typically be yellow and feature a truck that looks like it’s tipping over. Slow down so you don’t end up like the truck on the sign.
Height
Truck drivers also need to be conscious of the size of their vehicles when they are traveling on the road. The main reason is because of a truck’s height. There are usually clearance signs that will tell you the height limit of an overpass. Be on the lookout for height signs when you are by bridges and highway overpasses. The yellow sign will feature both the height and the length of a certain area on the road. Be aware of what your truck’s limit is.
Object Marker
A truck driver should also be aware of what an object marker sign looks like. Object markers will be long rectangular signs that feature diagonal yellow and black lines. Object markers will let you know if there are any obstructions or hazards on a highway.
Lane Designation
While there are plenty of other road signs truck drivers should be aware of, the last one we will cover is lane designation. Semi-trucks typically travel in a specific lane on the road, and lane designations point drivers to the correct one. A lane designation sign will typically feature two arrows, which lets the driver know that there are multiple lanes so they can drive on the right-hand outermost lane.
