The rainy season overseas, muddy mountain roads, and slippery roads with water accumulation have significantly increased the safety risks of heavy-duty truck driving. Most fleets only focus on slowing down during rainy days, neglecting the special maintenance and standardized operation of tire condition and braking system. Insufficient tire grip, brake system failure due to water ingress, brake deviation, and thermal degradation slip are the core causes of heavy truck side slip, tailspin, and rear end accidents on rainy days. Proper inspection and operation of tires and braking systems are key to safe transportation in rainy weather, reducing vehicle wear and tear, and ensuring stable fleet attendance.
Tires are the first line of defense for driving in rainy weather, with a focus on controlling tread patterns, tire pressure, and wear and tear. On rainy days, road drainage relies entirely on tire tread patterns. Shallow tread patterns can lead to insufficient drainage capacity, resulting in slippery tire surfaces and making it easy for vehicles to lose control and deviate. Heavy duty trucks need to ensure that the tire tread depth meets the standard. Tires with severe wear and flat tread should be replaced in a timely manner. It is prohibited to work on rainy days while sick. At the same time, it is necessary to regulate tire pressure. It is not advisable to have excessively high tire pressure on rainy days, as excessive pressure can reduce the contact area of the tire surface and significantly decrease grip; The tire pressure should not be too low to avoid excessive compression and deformation of the tire sidewall, which may cause driving shaking and tire blowouts. In addition, it is necessary to regularly clean the gravel and debris in the tire gaps to prevent puncturing the tire body and eliminate hidden faults in rainy days.
Eliminate emergency braking and violent braking on rainy days to avoid the risk of drifting and deviation. On rainy days, the road surface is wet and slippery, and a water film will form between the brake pads and brake drums, resulting in a decrease in braking friction and a significant extension of braking distance. Many drivers habitually brake abruptly when encountering sudden situations, which can easily lead to wheel lock up, vehicle side slip, trailer drifting, and in severe cases, cause rollover accidents. The correct operation is to loosen the oil and slow down in advance, use the point brake method to slowly slow down, smoothly engage the brake, and gradually eliminate the inertia of the vehicle body. Especially for bends, slopes, and waterlogged sections, it is necessary to slow down in advance, and it is strictly prohibited to brake at high speeds or on bends.
Pay attention to the drainage and dehumidification of the brake system to prevent brake failure and component corrosion. Driving on rainy days, the wheels, hubs, brake chambers, and air reservoirs are prone to water ingress. Long term accumulation of water can lead to decreased braking sensitivity, weak braking, and delayed braking. Overseas fleets need to develop a habit of draining after rain, promptly draining the accumulated water in the air storage tank to avoid water vapor entering the air circuit, causing valve body jamming and brake leakage. At the same time, when driving through water, the brake discs and brake pads become damp, which can easily lead to brake noise and brake deviation. You can lightly step on the brake at low speed, use the heat of brake friction to dry the moisture, restore braking performance, and avoid long-term dampness that can cause rusting and wear of brake components.
Avoid common selection and operation errors when driving on rainy days. Some fleets mix old and new tires, as well as tires with inconsistent patterns, in order to save costs. This results in uneven grip on the left and right sides during rainy days, which can easily lead to runaway and loss of control; Drivers are also accustomed to coasting downhill in neutral, which increases inertia on wet roads and increases braking pressure, posing extremely high risks. At the same time, it is prohibited to use the handbrake for a long time to park in the rain, which can easily lead to rusting and sticking of the handbrake spring and brake caliper, resulting in parking failure, inability to return, and other malfunctions.
In summary, the core points of heavy truck driving in rainy weather are to ensure that the tire tread is intact, the tire pressure is standard, and to eliminate the risk of water slipping; Standardize braking operations to avoid sudden brake loss of control; Timely drain and dehumidify the brake system to prevent component corrosion and failure. Regular inspection and standardized operation of tires and braking systems can not only avoid driving safety accidents on rainy days, but also reduce the wear and tear of braking components, effectively reducing the maintenance costs of the fleet.
