Improving Spatial Awareness While Driving

Pickup trucks take up a fair amount of space on the open road, making spatial awareness a crucial skill for truck drivers. Clearly understanding your pickup truck's size, road position, and movement plays a large role in preventing a collision. Improving your spatial awareness helps reduce the chances of injury and expensive damage to the vehicle.

We've gathered up the following tips for improving spatial awareness while driving. In addition to these strategies, it's wise to upgrade your pickup truck bumper. 

If a collision occurs, you'll be much less likely to face repairs. Contact Truck Defender Bumpers to learn more about our custom aluminum pickup truck bumpers. Our dealership is based in Vale, South Dakota, and we serve those throughout the United States.

Determine Your Road Position

The driver's right leg sits roughly in the middle of the vehicle. Try to keep that leg aligned with the center of the road for a stable road position.

Use Other Vehicles as a Measurement

Vehicles tend to be about the same width, which comes in handy when trying to decide whether you could fit into a given gap.

For example, maybe you want to figure out if you can safely overtake a parked car. If that vehicle could be duplicated into the space next to it, odds are your pickup truck could also fit and you are fine to pass.

Know Your Pickup Truck's Width

A sidewalk curb can help you gain a sense of your pickup truck's width. Pull up to the curb, look through the windshield, and notice where the curb is at the bottom of the window. This can be a reference point when moving through tight spaces. Run through this exercise with the curb to your left and to your right to get the full picture.

Know Your Pickup Truck's Front

Pick a stationary object. For example, a parked car or the door of your garage. Drive your pickup truck forward. Stop once you are still a comfortable distance away. Get out and see how far away you still are, then get back into the vehicle and see what that distance looks like from the driver's seat. Repeat until you are an appropriate distance away and use this reference point when parking.

Know Your Pickup Truck's Rear

The process is similar, except you are reversing towards a stationary object. Back up until you are a comfortable distance away, see how far you are, continue backing up until you are an appropriate distance away, and memorize what that looks like from the driver's seat.

Improving spatial awareness while driving is a great start in preventing a collision, but adding a custom aluminum pickup truck bumper adds an extra level of protection should a collision occur. Truck Defender Bumpers can get you the perfect custom bumper for your needs, so reach out or visit our dealership in Vale, South Dakota. We serve the entire United States.