The Thanksgiving holiday is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Over the coming days,

• Be watchful for inattentive and aggressive motorists.
• Allow plenty of room between you and others.

Wherever you may find yourself this coming Thursday, we at Lone Star wish you a happy Thanksgiving!

With winter conditions in many parts of the country, you must maintain excellent visibility from the cab.

• Ensure that your wiper blades are in good condition and that your windshield defroster is in working order.
• Keep your mirrors clean and properly adjusted so you have a clear field of view down the truck’s sides.
• Also, make sure all lighting is working. Lights should be on in inclement weather. It’s essential to both see and be seen.

Approach and enter intersections with caution.

• Check left, right and left again before entering. A glance at cross traffic in each direction provides sufficient time to recognize oncoming vehicles.
• Expect a vehicle approaching from your left or right to continue to travel. Your light may be green, but that doesn’t necessarily mean another motorist will yield you the right-of-way.

Never attempt a U-turn on a traveled highway. They’re dangerous. Due to the size of your vehicle and the time it takes to negotiate the maneuver, oncoming traffic may not see you in time to slow or stop.

If you miss your turn, then proceed to a safe crossing location to turn around.

Defensive driving involves driving smarter and more consciously.

• Drive with good habits, such as leaving enough space between you and the vehicle in front of you.
• Avoid dangerous driving behavior, such as speeding or allowing in-cab distractions to cause you to lose focus.
• Scan your mirrors frequently to ensure you know what’s going on around your vehicle.

To sum it up, be a better, safer driver than those around you.

Many states now require you to move to the left lane when approaching a police officer who has a vehicle pulled over on the shoulder. Obviously, this is to ensure the safety of the officer and stopped motorist.

• If you are unable to move to the left lane, reduce your speed to well below the posted speed.
• In addition, as a general safety rule, always move to the left lane when approaching any vehicle on the shoulder. A person may inadvertently find themselves in the driving lane of traffic. So, make sure to give them plenty of room.