If you are a self-employed courier driver you will wish to ensure your safety at all times. After all, your delivery business is providing you with a living to support yourself and your family if you happen to have one. Therefore, we thought that we would provide some useful tips to help ensure your safety whilst you are out and about making deliveries.

It is important that your delivery vehicle is fir for purpose and is serviced on a regular basis. You will need to make sure that your tyre treads are well above the legal limit and have the correct pressure in them. Your brakes need to be in good working order so have your brake pads and discs checked. Therefore, if you have to make an emergency stop, hopefully you will be able to come to a halt in time to avoid a collision with the vehicle in front.

Do not break the speed limit – it is put in place for very good reasons. The faster you travel, the longer it will take to come to a halt when necessary. You really cannot afford to get a speeding fine or points on your license nor see your courier insurance premiums increase due to being caught speeding. Do not put anyone t risk by breaking the speed limit in your courier van.

When arriving at a delivery destination, be careful where you park. Do not obstruct other users of the road you have come to a halt in. Be careful when getting out of your vehicle as you would not wish to step out into the path of a passing car. Make sure that you do not park in a disabled space if parking in a car park.

When pulling away after dropping off a parcel, make sure that it is safe to do so. Always check your mirrors before driving away so that you do not end up driving into the side of a passing vehicle. If you have to reverse make sure that there is no person or vehicle behind you.

When parked up perhaps to have a sandwich and a coffee in your van, consider locking the vehicle whilst inside it just incase somebody tries to gain access whilst you are having a break. Whenever leaving the van whether that be to deliver a parcel or to pop into a café for a bite to eat, make sure that you lock your van as you would not want someone to steal one or more of your parcels you have onboard. We know it may seem a pain to have to lock your van every time you leave your vehicle but best to be on the safe side.

Be careful when lifting heavy parcels as you do not wish to injure yourself as this could keep you off the road for a few days thus reducing your income as a courier driver.

We hope that the above safety tips prove useful as a courier driver.