Most commercial drivers are familiar with the winter road hazards of black ice, limited visibility and drifting snow, but even the most experienced drivers were caught in massive traffic jams and accidents in the South last week when freezing precipitation paralyzed places unaccustomed to dealing with such seasonal perils.

The storm, which was blamed for at least five traffic fatalities and left behind frigid temperatures and ice-covered roads from Louisiana to the Carolinas, shows why commercial drivers need to be prepared for all kinds of hazards, experts say.

While the dangers of winter driving captured headlines last week, the most common injuries commercial drivers sustain at this time of year are due to slips, falls and musculoskeletal injuries that occur while outside their vehicles, transportation loss control experts say.

“Most over-the-road drivers are prepared for just about every type of weather they will encounter,” said Jamie Wilson, Huntsville, Ala.-based senior risk engineering consultant and transportation specialist at Zurich North America. “On any given day, you can go over a region and experience several different types of weather.”

To prepare for the potential of being stranded, as many truckers were when the storm paralyzed roads in Atlanta last week, commercial drivers often pack survival kits that include winter clothing, blankets, a flashlight, drinking water and nonperishable food.

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In addition, drivers typically keep their gas tanks at least half-full so they have enough fuel to run the vehicle occasionally to keep warm and to prevent temperature-sensitive cargo from freezing.

Though long-haul truckers generally are among the most experienced commercial drivers, transportation companies should provide periodic training to remind even veteran road warriors about necessary winter precautions, such as maintaining a safe following distance and reducing speed, said Daniel Brown, technical manager for The Travelers Cos. Inc's transportation risk control department in St. Paul, Minn.

To ensure its drivers are ready, Green Bay, Wis.-based Schneider National Inc. conducts a winter training module beginning in late September “as a reminder of how difficult winter weather can be on the individual, equipment, road conditions, the customer — all of those factors,” said Tom DiSalvi, director of safety and loss prevention. The training, which concludes by Thanksgiving, addresses “both motor vehicle and slip-and-fall risks,” he said.

“From a driving perspective, the top winter hazards are black ice and whiteout conditions. (For the driver personally), they would be access in and out (of the vehicle), such as slips, trips, falls,” said Cory Gaye, corporate safety director at Wagman Cos. Inc., a York, Pa.-based heavy equipment hauler.

“There are a lot of slippery surfaces. The potential to slip and fall on the ice beneath the snow can result in some more serious injuries than most people realize,” said Wayne Cederholm, director of training at Salt Lake City-based trucking firm C.R. England. Drivers are also “susceptible to strains and pulls from lifting and installing chains,” he said.

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Keith Bain, commercial auto fleet specialist at Chubb Corp. in Nashville, Tenn., recommends that commercial drivers wear slip-resistant footwear and strap-on cleats that provide traction on ice.

Commercial drivers often suffer injuries while loading and unloading freight, especially when working on flatbed trucks, said Rob Abbott, vice president of safety policy at the American Trucking Association in Arlington, Va.

“These drivers often have to climb onto the bed of a truck to secure freight with straps and cover freight with tarps to protect it against the elements. Falls from this height can be especially harmful. Snow and ice present risks during this process as well. Finally, entering and exiting a truck cab becomes riskier when steps and handholds become icy,” he said.

Removing snow from the top of the trailer, a requirement in many Northeastern states, also puts drivers at risk, said Richard Bleser, Milwaukee-based senior vice president and fleet specialty practice leader at Marsh Risk Consulting, a division of Marsh Inc.

“The trailers are 13 feet 6 inches above ground level, not made for drivers to climb on top of,” he said. “This is a huge hazard.”

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Because drivers are sedentary for long periods of time, they often suffer musculoskeletal injuries when working outside their vehicles, especially in cold weather, said Ariel Jenkins, senior risk control manager at Safety National Casualty Corp. in St. Louis.

“When I was a consultant at (United Parcel Service Inc.), they had a lot of instances where drivers would be sedentary for a few hours and then get out of their trucks and move these heavy dollies around. That's very strenuous. If you do that in cold weather in combination with being sedentary, you increase your risk of injury,” he said. “Before they perform any strenuous task in winter weather conditions, drivers should stretch.”

To safely navigate winter road conditions, commercial drivers are trained to increase their following distance and slow down, but this can cause delays, which can be costly to their employers and their customers, Mr. Cederholm said.

“Downtime of equipment or potential revenue loss is the biggest risk for us. Also customer frustration from delayed or extended transit time is something we have to mitigate and manage closely,” he said.

To address weather-related delays, “many companies have embraced technology to work around weather conditions,” said David Barry, national technical director in Willis North America Inc.'s risk control and claims advocacy practice in Overland Park, Kan.

“Large transportation firms have logistics departments with giant war rooms that can track traffic flow, weather conditions. Some even have live access to traffic cameras” set up by state transportation departments, he said. “This helps them more efficiently route their trucks.”