Truckers Hit The Road Despite Icy Road Conditions

With multiple rounds of winter weather this February, some people have been able to stay home and off roads. Truckers, however, must get out to make their deliveries so store shelves can stay stocked.

On top of that, regulations require that truckers only drive for 11 hours in a day.

Once they hit 11 hours of driving, they must take a 10-hour break.

When they have to slow down and drive more cautiously that takes away from their driving time.

"A big thing to remember with truck drivers is that we don't stop as quickly as other cars,” Holly Forsyth with the Oklahoma Trucking Association said. “It takes about double the time to stop, so when we're out in these driving conditions, we're trying to give ourselves even more time for that stopping distance."

Trucking companies have safety groups that monitor road conditions before sending truckers out on the road. Forsyth said that they wouldn't send a driver out who is uncomfortable driving in snow and ice.

Forsyth said the public can help keep everyone safe by giving truckers extra space when roads are bad so they can get to their destination and make their deliveries.