Driving Your Forklift in Public

This is how to handle your forklift in public

Driving your forklift in public is always an awkward situation. The vehicle looks downright out of place in a public setting. The public can also get irritated when seeing an unwieldy utility vehicle in their midst. In this post, we review a couple of factors that need to be taken into consideration before you take your forklift out of the workplace and into the road.

You need to be registered

It’s tempting to think that because the forklift is not typically driven in public, you might not need the vehicle to be registered. Alas, this is not the case. You must register your forklift and have a valid driver’s license before taking it in public. It is also important to note that if your forklift is insured, you may even need a license to drive and operate the vehicle in the private workplace as well.

What speed should you be driving at?

One of the starkest differences between driving a forklift and operating a regular car is the speed at which you drive them. The forklift is a very slow vehicle! When driving, you should really keep your speed under 10 kilometers per hour. In fact, this speed pertains whether you are at your private workplace or in public. Be forewarned that because the majority of forklifts do not actually have speedometers, it can be quite difficult to ascertain how fast you are driving. Additionally, the forklift is a naturally top-heavy vehicle. Therefore, it is ill-equipped for the rigors of the road. Bumps and sharp turns are especially difficult, so make sure that you exercise even more caution than you would if you were driving a car.

Use signage

Whenever you drive your forklift in public, it’s necessary to use signs to warn other cars of your presence. If you need to barricade the road, make sure that you have flag persons directing traffic. Ultimately, driving a forklift on the road is always a risky proposition, but by leaving nothing to chance you will get the job done safely and soundly.