Safety on the road?

Safety on the road should be on every drivers mind. As a driver you always look out for number one, while you are on break, parked waiting for a pick-up or delivery, sleeping, etc. The reason I say it like this is, while you are driving, a true professional driver would do anything in his or her power to avoid an accident, even if it means going over a hill or in a ditch, etc. I will come back to this part.

I want to talk about some serious problems. I mean I guess they are serious, I just read about seven different post on a trucking forum I go to about how drivers are having their doors opened in the middle of the night! Yes, I said it the middle of the night! Why, in anybody’s right mind, would you go to sleep with your doors unlocked? That is just plain careless or lazy, one or the other.

Sleeping is just the tip of the ice burg when it comes to looking out for number one. Like I mentioned before you have to look out for number one, while parked. One post I read, stated this woman was parked in her rig at a rest area, and about 02:00 AM she awoke to hear her door come open, then the dome light came on. She said she learned a valuable lesson. I am glad she did, because it only would take one time. Look at the Rivenburg story (Jason’s Law), it’s not the answer, or the solution people. They (Bill makers) aren’t going to give it enough money. You, me, we are the answer we have got to get smarter in some of these foolish things we do, everyday! Don’t sit back and bitch and complain about how drivers are not getting together for this “new Law”.

We are suppose to be professional drivers some of us need to start acting the part out. I am going to compel a list of some thing’s you as a driver can do to stay safe.

1. Lock Your Doors - The way I always did it, might not have been the best way, BUT I never forgot to lock my doors. If I was traveling at or under 25 mph, I had my doors locked. Well really, I usually just kept them locked all the time. But, think about it we do a LOT of very slow driving crawling a lot of times through towns, truckstops, shippers and receivers. It wouldn’t take much effort at all to open a door and get to you.
2. Most of the new trucks these days do not have a “wing glass” in them anymore this used to be an easy way to gain access to the truck and is rather quietly done.  Actually, Sandy Long gave me this idea, I had never heard of before. She is a long time OTR driver, and is very knowledgeable on many topics.  Take the seat belt and wrap it around the door handles and tie them off. Or you can carry a small one inch ratchet strap with hooks on them and just hook one end into each door handle and crank it down tight.
3. When you get ready to leave your truck to go into the truckstop, leave your curtain open, so when you get in you can easily see the sleeper to see if anyone is in it.
4. Never tell over the CB Radio what you are hauling, or where it is going. You never know who is listening in.
5. Dress the part, meaning don’t wear all your jewelry, fancy cloths, etc. every time you get out of your truck.
6. Before going to a “new shipper/receiver” call ahead of time, see if you can sleep there. Also make sure of your directions, you don’t need to get lost and have to drive continuously around the place.

This is a SMALL list, I know there are many more suggestions and tips. Go ahead and post a comment with your list, let’s work together.

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