First Time Driving A Moving Truck? Follow These Tips

If you've never driven a large truck before, then the idea of driving a moving truck full of all your most valuable possessions may seem a bit daunting. However, many people rent and drive moving trucks every day without incident. Follow these four tips, and you'll reduce your risk of accidents and other unfortunate events.

Study your route ahead of time.

In a large truck, it's a lot harder to dart across traffic to avoid missing your exit. Mapping out your route ahead of time and looking over the directions will ensure you know where you're going and will minimize your chances of making a wrong turn or similar blunder. If you're not driving the moving truck very far, you may even want to drive the entire route ahead of time in your normal car so it's more familiar.

Have a reliable friend ride along in the passenger seat.

Having a reliable friend in your passenger seat will come in handy when you're trying to decide where to turn or whether or not you can merge into the other lane. They can help you navigate so you can concentrate on braking and steering. They can also remind you to brake early, take your turns wide, and abide by the speed limit. These things don't always come naturally when you're not used to driving a big truck, so having someone else there to keep them fresh in your mind helps.

Put heavy items in the front of the truck.

When you're packing the moving truck, make sure the heaviest items – like furniture and books –are placed in the front of the truck. Put lighter things like clothing and linens towards the back. Keeping the weight towards the front of the truck will keep it more balanced, so you feel more secure around corners and when braking.

Make sure you know where everything is before you leave the parking lot.

Before you pull out of the rental truck parking lot, make sure you locate these items:

  • The parking brake
  • The windshield wiper lever
  • Turning signals
  • Regular lights, high beams and fog lights
  • Heat and AC controls
  • Hazard lights

If you cannot find any of these, ask the employees at the rental office. They'll make sure you know how to operate everything before you go so you don't end up without lights, wipers or brakes just when you need them the most. Contact a mover, like Midway Moving & Storage, for more help.


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