When moving your possessions from one location to another, it can be a stressful moment, especially if you have to drive the moving van yourself. Hiring a moving service such as Green Van Lines Moving Company – Florida ensures that the entire process has no glitches. You also benefit from the professionalism and reasonable rates.
Handle A Moving Van Like A Pro
One of the things that people do to minimize relocation costs is to rent a moving van. It also makes things flexible as you can work per your schedule. But then driving a moving van is not the same as driving a regular car. Use the following tips to drive a moving van well.
1. Don’t Overspeed
Maybe time is not on your side and you’re desperate to relocate your possessions and attend to an important matter. It can be so tempting to floor the gas pedal and arrive quickly. But this would be akin to putting yourself at risk. So, drive at an average speed, and slow down if the weather is messy or the road is bumpy.
2. Don’t Get Too Close To Other Vehicles
If you drive too closely behind other vehicles, you needlessly increase your odds of getting into an accident. A loaded moving van possesses too much force, and in case of impact, things can be ugly. Driving moving vans asks for above-average vigilance.
3. Practice Applying Brakes
If you’re driving a personal car, and you notice a bump ahead, the brakes work swiftly. But if you’re driving a moving van, you have to remember that it has tremendous force, and you need to apply brakes a lot sooner and smoothly. Applying brakes suddenly can be problematic.
4. Never Hurriedly Change Lanes
First off, you have to indicate that you want to change lanes, and you have to look behind (via the side mirror) to make sure that there’s enough space to make your switch. Resist the urge of changing lanes every so often.
5. Don’t Overtake All The Time
When you find a vehicle ahead of you moving slowly, you overtake it, but then it depends on other factors. For instance, if the road is constricted, mountainous, or there’s a curve ahead, you should reduce your speed and wait for an opportune time to overtake.
6. Obey Traffic Rules
You’re not required to have a special license, but still, you need to obey all the traffic rules. Some people might mistakenly think that other drivers or law enforcement will see that it’s a moving van and develop more patience in case of misconduct. But there are no special road users. Your biggest responsibility is to observe every traffic rule. Some of the mistakes that you must avoid include road rage, tailgating, and not applying turn signals.
7. Be Aware Of The Van’s Height
What happens if you’re heading into a bridge or a subway and your van is too tall? The top part might get knocked or brushed and cause damages. And so, you need to stay aware of your van’s height, so that you use suitable routes.
8. Be Mindful Of Your Pets
Pets love the thrill of being with their owner in a vehicle, but if you’re traveling over a long distance, your pet can become uncomfortable. Ensure that you have enough food and water to give your pets for the duration of the journey. You may also need a harness because most pets aren’t comfortable with long-distance travel.
9. Make Sure You’re Comfortable
Driving a moving van is not child’s play. You need to be focused and energetic. One of the things that encourage good driving is having a comfortable seat. You want to make sure that your seat is made of comfortable material and has a nice design that permits you to feel relaxed.
10. Be Mindful Of The Weather
For both novices and experienced drivers, one of the things that can make driving incredibly difficult is poor weather. And so, if you’re planning to drive a moving van, you need to consider what the weather is like. If there’s any potential for severe weather like strong winds, hail, and floods, you might want to postpone your relocation.
11. Make Sure Everything Works Properly
At the end of the day, a rented moving van is not your private car, and you’re not familiar with it. It’s your responsibility to check to see that everything works properly. It would be inconvenient to start driving and realize that the lights or signals are not working properly.