Truck drivers are a breed of their own. Out on the roads for long periods of time, often going weeks between home visits. A truck driver’s life is often a lonely one… but it is liberating as hell. Being out on the open road with nothing to do but drive? It sounds like heaven to some of us. That being said, if you are driving a truck you need to see an expert to have it repaired… Why? We put together this guide to explain it all.
Truck Accidents Are More Common Than You Might Think
In the US, where most lorry drivers own their own vehicle or drive for a big firm with a bigger fleet, truck accidents are more common than you might think. Every year, truck accident lawyers deal with thousands of cases. The US sees something like 40-50 thousand accidents involving vehicles every year. Of those accidents, trucks account for 3%.
Of those three percent, more than 60% were two-vehicle collisions. That just means that a car, van, bike, or some other vehicle was also involved. Alarmingly, it is estimated that a high number of truck driver accidents are caused by tiredness. Not so alarmingly, only a small percentage was caused by the driver’s fault.
So where is the deficit? In truck malfunctions. Breaks failing, trucks swerving and going off-road, not applying snow chains… any of this sound familiar? When was the last time an expert gave your truck the once over? It’s something to take into consideration when you spend large amounts of time on the road.
Truck Accidents can be Avoided
There are some simple steps you can take to avoid becoming one of the truck drivers involved in an accident (approximately) every 16 seconds in the world. One of the most important things you can do to avoid trucking accidents is to keep your vehicle in good working order.
This means keeping it serviced even though it costs money. It will cost you a lot more money if you get into an accident, are found at fault, or kill someone, and need to payout. When you are in an accident, you lose more than just money. You lose time, you lose confidence, and there is the chance that you will also lose whatever you were shipping. All of these things could find you in a repayment situation… unless you can prove it wasn’t your fault.
Which leads us back to the original point. Getting a qualified mechanic to check over your truck at regular intervals is vital for your safety, and for the safety of others. If you aren’t responsible for your truck’s health, then who is? Don’t take the risk of fixing something yourself if you are not a qualified mechanic.
When it comes to things like coil packs, brakes, filters, and hydraulic fluid there is just no point in taking chances. An expert will know what to do. Unless you are an expert leave it alone. It might cost more than you are prepared to pay.
