Stay Sharp This Fall: Essential Safety & Prep Tips for Truck Drivers

Key Takeaways:

• Check your lights: Shorter days = more nighttime driving
• Slow down: Wet leaves and frost can be as slick as ice
• Stay alert: School, deer, and football are all back in season and can cause traffic complications
• Plan ahead: Don't underestimate holiday congestion, and request home time early
• Pack cold gear now: Even if you don't think you need it yet, you're better safe than sorry

As the seasons change, so do the conditions truck drivers face on the road.

Fall brings shorter days, unpredictable weather, heavier traffic around holidays, and unique hazards that can challenge even the most experienced drivers.

At Anderson Trucking Service (ATS), we’ve been helping drivers succeed for more than 70 years. That experience gives us a front-row seat to the seasonal changes that impact drivers the most.

In this guide, we'll give you the run down all things driving in autumn, so you can avoid surprises and stay safe behind the wheel.

Fall Driving Safety Challenges to Watch For

Driving in the fall requires a different mindset than in summer. The roads look the same, but hidden risks can catch drivers off guard if they’re not paying attention. By being proactive, you’ll be ready for whatever the season throws at you.

Shorter Daylight Hours

By early August, sunset is already happening before 8 p.m. local time in several major cities like Chicago, New York City, and Denver. By the end of September, daylight will be shorter by an hour or more for many parts of the U.S.

What does that mean for truckers? Confirm your headlights and auxiliary lights are working — you’ll likely do more low-light and night driving this time of year and through the winter months.               

Shorter daylight hours have an even greater impact on heavy haul drivers transporting over-dimensional (OD) freight. While regulation and permit language varies from state to state, OD travel is typically restricted to daylight hours.

Drivers hauling OD freight will therefore have less viable travel time in their day, which may require them to re-structure their days to ensure they continue to use their hours of service (HOS) efficiently.

How to Navigate Fall Road Conditions

According to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHSA), wet leaves on the roadway can be as slippery as ice, which means autumn driving conditions can be as dangerous as winter roads.

Falling autumn leaves look beautiful, but their effect on the roadway is anything but. A thin layer of water or ice over fallen leaves is all it takes to increase a driver's safe stopping distance by 250 percent, per the NHSA.

These tips will help you stay safe when hauling on leaf-strewn roads:

• Slow down. Reduce your speed on roads covered with leaves, especially when turning and in wetter conditions.
• Increase your distance. Remember, the NHSA says if you previously needed only 80 ft. of roadway to safely stop, you'll need 200 ft. on leafy roads. Maintaining a healthy following distance will ensure you have the time you need and help prevent collisions should a vehicle in front of you start to skid.
• Avoid sudden or hard braking. If your truck loses traction and starts to skid, resist the impulse to slam on the brakes. Instead:
  • Take your foot off the gas
  • Point your wheels in the correct direction
  • Adjust your steering as you begin to straighten out
• Clean off your truck. During your pre-trip inspection, clean any leaves off the windshield and hood to avoid disruptions to your field of vision.
• Check your tires. Also during your pre-trip, clear off any wet leaves stuck to your tires and check that each tire has good tread. Tread helps channel water away from the surface of the tires, which translates to better traction and less slipping.

Driving in Fog, Frost, and Glare

Autumn weather reminds us of classic Halloween movie settings: thick fog, frosty breezes, and tricks of the light. Unfortunately for truck drivers, these atmospheric elements make your job more challenging.

Foggy Conditions

In the fall months, fog is common in the morning and evenings, especially near rivers and low-lying areas. This can reduce visibility, which may cause drivers to misjudge distances.

Safe driving in foggy conditions will require the use of your low-beam headlights (to prevent glare and bounce-back), slowing down, and increasing your following distance.

Driving on Frost

As temps lower overnight in the fall, frost may settle onto your windshield and mirrors — and onto the roadway. This can create dangerous driving conditions in much the same way as ice or wet leaves.

Allow extra time in your morning routine to thoroughly defrost your windshield, mirrors, and lights. You may need to manually scrape frost or ice off these surfaces, so be sure you have on adequate cold weather protection like gloves, a hat, etc.

Bridges, overpasses, and shaded roads are especially susceptible to frost, so practice the same caution you would when driving on ice. Reduce your speed and avoid sudden braking or sharp, jerky steering.

And remember, in the right conditions, patches of black ice can form in the autumn months. Know when black ice is most likely to occur (after a light rain or overnight) and stay aware of the road surface when driving. Check out our black ice FAQ for more detailed information on spotting black ice and reacting safely, but when in doubt, drive with caution.

Managing Sun Glare

Finally, the low sun angle in fall can cause an intense — and dangerous — glare during morning and evening commutes.

A flash of glare can temporarily blind drivers, so keep your windshield clean, wear polarized sunglasses, and use your sun visor to maintain visibility.

Be conscious of when sunrise and sunset are (and what direction you're driving in) so you won't be caught off-guard.

Other Autumn Driving Hazards

While road conditions and decreased daylight are top concerns for truck drivers in the fall, there are several other elements that make hauling in autumn more challenging. Keep these in mind as you trip plan and take any necessary precautions:

• School zones & increased pedestrian activity: With school back in session, children, buses, and crossing guards are back on and around the roadways. Stay alert in school zones (always, but especially in the mornings and afternoons) and slow down in residential areas. Also be aware of increased cyclist activity, and check mirrors and blind spots when turning, changing lanes, or backing up.
  
  
• Hunting season & wildlife crossings: Deer activity increases in wooded and rural areas in the fall, particularly during dawn and dusk. Reduce your speed when driving through farmland or forests and be on the lookout for animals in your periphery.
  
  
• Daylight Savings Time: When the nation "falls back" for Daylight Savings Time, it may impact your schedule and your sleep cycle. Double check your pickup and delivery times, especially on the weekend of the time change. (In 2025, Daylight Savings Time will end on Sun., Nov. 2 in the early morning hours.) Be mindful of your sleep and adjust your routine to ensure you're getting enough rest.
  
  
• Sporting event restrictions & traffic: Big games can mean road closures, travel restrictions, and heavy traffic. Plan alternate routes if your load takes you through a major football town.

Navigating Holiday Travel: What to Know Around Halloween & Thanksgiving

Holidays bring a unique set of challenges for truck drivers. Even holidays that aren't necessarily considered traditionally high-traffic days (like Halloween) can change how people drive and where they go.

Knowing what to expect helps you prepare, protect yourself, and make smart choices on the road. Here's what you'll need to be aware of around the fall holidays:

• Increased traffic: Whether families are traveling to loved ones' homes for Thanksgiving dinner or to the neighborhood that gives out the king-sized candy bars on Halloween, plan for crowded local roads and packed interstates.
  
  
• Distracted pedestrians: From Halloween trick-or-treaters and party traffic to Black Friday shoppers, expect more foot traffic in residential areas and cities. Be especially careful when turning and backing up.
  
  
• Adjust speed and spacing: Slow down, leave more room, and avoid aggressive maneuvers.
  
  
• Trip plan with tech: Use GPS and traffic apps to anticipate backups before you're stuck in them.
  
  
• Communicate about home time: If you want to be home for any holidays, tell your dispatcher as early as possible. But if you are open to hauling on holidays, drivers who stay on the road can often earn more than normal thanks to higher holiday freight rates.

Staying Safe & Prepared on Fall Hauls

Fall driving brings a mix of shorter days, unpredictable weather, holiday congestion, and wildlife hazards. These factors all complicate your already complex job, and without proper foresight and consideration, can make things frustrating at best and dangerous at worst.

The good news is you've already begun taking the necessary actions just by reading this article. By learning about the changes this season ushers in and following our tips — like staying alert, planning ahead, and preparing both your truck and yourself — you’ll be ready to handle these seasonal challenges safely.

And as winter approaches, your proactivity will set you up for success in the toughest season of the year. Check out our podcast episode all about winter driving, featuring real ATS safety managers, to hear their insights and learn from real winter driving incidents.

You'll come away with actionable advice on having a smoother winter behind the wheel. Stay safe out there!