Suppose you are a contractor and a forklift is required at your site. You will hire one and make arrangements for it to be transported to where it is needed. Below are several precautions that need to be observed machinery transport:
Avoid transporting heavy machinery at night
You should avoid transporting heavy machinery at night. This is because the visibility is low and this poses a risk to other road users. Other drivers assume that everyone else is driving around the speed limit. However, the trailer carrying the heavy machinery cannot drive at this speed. This increases the probability that an accident will occur whereby a driver will ram into the rear end of the trailer.
Do not attempt to drive them even when the road is clear
It is illegal to drive heavy machinery on the roads, even when the distance to be covered is short, and the way is clear. You should not attempt this even if you have both a valid driving and operating licence. This is because heavy machinery like forklifts are very slow and lack the proper hazards required by motor vehicles. They will, therefore, pose a danger to other road users and pedestrians. The safest way to move them around is by ferrying them on a flatbed trailer.
Always use the left lane of the highway
Since the trailer carrying the forklift will be moving slower than the rest of the traffic, you should always use the left lane. This will provide enough space for faster-moving traffic to overtake on the right side of the highway. It also helps to reduce any disruptions of the regular flow of traffic.
Take note of the weather
Checking the weather updates before starting the journey helps to avoid any unexpected incidences. You should only commence when you are sure that it will be a clear day. If there are signs that it will rain or it will be foggy, you can postpone the journey until the weather has improved. You should not rush to transport the forklift to the destination since bad weather can result in accidents that can be avoided by being patient.
Depending on the number of heavy machinery being transported, you can have an escort car to offer direction and recommend on the best routes that can be followed to reach the destination. The escort car also creates a buffer between the convoy and the rest of the traffic, which reduces chances of any accidents.
