Renting a truck for your upcoming move provides a major helping hand, especially if you have large and bulky possessions that you need to get from one location to another. Although you can safely drive many classes of rental trucks with a standard driver's license, doing so requires an extra degree of diligence -- especially if you're new to driving a vehicle of this size. Familiarizing yourself with the truck's manual and having a passenger help you navigate are helpful, but here are three useful strategies to ensure that you drive your rental truck safely.

Get Used To Using Your Mirrors

Another major difference between a truck and your day-to-day vehicle is the mirror situation. In your car, you're able to get a high degree of visibility of what's around you by using your center rear-view mirror in conjunction with your side mirrors. In a truck, you'll only have use of the side mirrors. Before you begin to drive, adjust the mirrors so they give you the greatest degree of visibility -- many trucks have two mirrors per side -- an upper mirror to see what's behind you and a lower to check your blind spots. Vibrations while driving can knock your mirrors out of alignment over time, so check them and make the necessary adjustments every time you stop.

Give Yourself Extra Stopping Distance

One of the first differences you'll notice when you drive a truck is that its stopping distance is significantly greater than that of your automobile. As such, it's important to drive with this distance in mind. Avoid speeding, give yourself plenty of space between you and the vehicle traveling in front of you and begin the braking process earlier than you would in a car. There's no set rule about how closely you should follow behind other motorists or how soon you should brake, as everything depends on your speed and the truck's weight. In general, however, it's best to be extremely cognizant of this major difference to avoid being in an accident because you're unable to stop in time.

Don't Back Up Alone

It's ideal to get help from a partner before you attempt to back up the truck. While the mirrors will provide some help, having someone watch your approach and keep in contact with you through hand signals and verbal commands greatly reduces your chance of a miscue. Always ensure the loading ramp is secure before beginning to back up and give yourself lots of time and space to avoid hitting something.

For a professional moving truck rental company, call a company such as Allard Rentals.