Whether you are a small contractor or have a large dedicated fleet, some simple safety precautions, preventive maintenance and driving tips can keep your sweepers on the road.

When summer rolls around, a new set of safety, maintenance, and driving challenges comes with it. Whether you’re dealing with extreme heat, heavy rain or high temperatures, a little preparation and some simple precautions can help keep your drivers safe, your fleet on the road and your business rolling.

5 Simple Tips to Prepare Your Fleet Summer Driving for the Heat

During the summer it’s important to perform some extra basic maintenance and safety checks before every job. Add these extra five simple steps to your usual safety checks to get your vehicles ready on a summer day:

1 – Check and top off all fluids, including oil, coolant, brake, transmission and power steering fluids. If fluid leakage is detected, bring the sweeper in for service.
2 – Test the air conditioning before each job to ensure a comfortable cab temperature. If the air isn’t blowing cold, get the system repaired.
3 – Check windshield wiper operation: road salt and cold temperatures from the winter are hard on wiper blades, which can become ragged from use and are vulnerable to summer heat. If they’re not in great shape, get them replaced.
4 – Check your tires. They wear out faster in hotter temperatures.
5 – Check tire pressure. The best way to prevent flat tires is to check tire pressure regularly. Under-inflation is the most common cause of tire failure and can be caused by excess heat build-up.

And keep it safe on the road.

5 Summer Driving Tips to Keep Sweeper Operators and Other Motorists Safe

1 – Reduce speed on wet roads to maximize traction and avoid hydroplaning.
2 – Increase following distances to compensate for heavier summer traffic.
3 – Take frequent breaks to combat increased fatigue – drink lots of fluids to avoid heat exhaustion.
4 – Pay more attention when driving in construction zones and tourist areas.
5 – Use good quality sunglasses to guard against eyestrain and preserve vision.

Standard inspections and regular preventive maintenance can help avert potential issues before they become bigger problems down the road.

Keep your drivers, fleet, and business running smoother and safer in the hot summer months!

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