The world is changing more and more with every passing year. We’re slowly becoming more and more reliant on digital technologies. So many aspects of our lives are moving online. That being said, one thing is still a very offline and analog process — transportation of goods.
Being a trucker is a rewarding but often dangerous job. Simply being on the road for so long exposes you to certain risks. Today we’ll list some of the most common causes for trucking incidents you should know about.
Distracted Driving
For many drivers out there, driving is fun. Most feel that their driving skills are above average. There’s nothing better than taking your car on a twisty road and experiencing the rush of raging RPMs as you navigate corners. Driving a truck is a complete antithesis of this experience. Depending on the type of trucking work you do, there’s a good chance you’ll be spending a lot of time on highways, just grinding out the miles to your destination.
The monotony of interstate driving can easily cause us to fall victim to various distractions. Whether it’s your radio, the AC, or something else — you need to be sure that your eyes are constantly on the road.
Driving Over the Speed Limit
Although trucks aren’t really known for their speed, you can still speed in them should you decide to. Modern driver monitoring rigs often have systems in place that are supposed to prevent speeding.
The only issue is that not every truck is fitted with these devices just yet. In fact, you’ll mostly see such systems in trucks belonging to large companies, a Detroit truck accident lawyer argues that speeding is still an issue and one that isn’t as uncommon as people think. A semi that’s following the speed limit requires a considerable distance to stop, especially if it’s hauling heavy cargo. A speeding semi only adds tends of yards to this already significant distance.
Cargo Handling
Cargo comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it’s pallets of products that are easy to stack and secure, but sometimes you’re transporting cargo that requires special attention. One of the main tasks a trucker is entrusted with is making sure that their cargo is balanced and secured.
Overloading the truck or loading the cargo in a way that focuses weight in the wrong part of the trailer can both cause issues once you hit the road. Things such as tire blowouts aren’t uncommon at all.
Equipment Failure
Almost every truck driver out there knows how to descend a steep hill without cooking the brakes. However, your rig’s mechanical wellbeing isn’t always in your hands. Equipment fails all the time, including your brakes. Needless to say, when things like brake failure happen, you’ll need all the experience and training you can get on your side.
To prevent such things from happening, make sure that your truck is maintained properly either by you or by your company, depending on who owns the rig. As a driver, it’s your responsibility to do a proper vehicle inspection before heading out. Although you can’t really take a look inside your air brakes, you can spot broken or shady lines that could potentially fail during your haul.
Driving Under the Influence
The unfortunate truth about the trucking industry is that it’s always looking for warm bodies to put behind the wheel of a truck. Not only that, but the burnout rates are high as well. All of this leads to instances where wrong people are manning the vehicles.
Driving under the influence is incredibly irresponsible and dangerous, even if you’re driving a golf cart, let alone a massive rig. There is a reason why there’s a zero-tolerance policy on drinking and driving in the industry. Still, DUI is way too common among truckers.
Severe Weather
Weather can be your friend, or your worst enemy when you’re sitting on top of 18 wheels of steel. Driving an empty rig through strong crosswinds introduces a very real risk of flipping the tractor-trailer along with the truck. There are many other instances where the weather has a severe negative impact on a trucker’s ability to do their job.
Stay Safe
Driving a semi-truck puts you in control of several tons of steel and a few more tons of cargo. That’s a massive responsibility. By following the rules and adhering to traffic conditions, you’ll ensure that your hauls are stress and worry-free.
Keep in mind that it’s incredibly easy to become complacent in this business. Do your best not to fall victim to complacency and become another name in the statistic.