Truck drivers are the backbone of the economy, and their safety is of the utmost importance. Not only are they at special risk of traffic
accidents, but truck driving comes with a host of other dangers. The easiest way to stay safe while driving any vehicle is being aware of your surroundings and making sure your vehicle is up to maintenance standards and driving defensively, while also understanding the physics of the load you are hauling. Here are some good pieces of safety equipment any trucker should have available to them, whether stuck on the road after an accident or simply while unloading.
Most companies recommend wearing a hard hat the second you exit the cab of your truck. Hauling heavy and dangerous items puts you at extra risk of injury from heavy or sharp items falling on you. Opening your truck for inspections or unloading are also a risk, should anything have shifted or come loose from restraining straps. Having a hard hat at the ready is a great way to prevent an on-the-job injury.
Work sites of all kinds can be excessively loud and potentially filled with flying dangerous objects. Even a small piece of debris can cause serious eye injury, and extra exposure means extra risk. At least a pair of ear plugs and wraparound eye protection should be kept on you for unloading or for moving around worksites you may need to be at. You can find good quality protective eye and ear protection in
most hardware stores
When you’re outside of your truck, at the side of the road or otherwise, you’re a pedestrian, now. Pedestrians need to make their presence known however they can. While you should have flares and reflective barricades for your truck, you also need to make yourself an obvious thing to avoid. High visibility (reflective) vests and other clothing are a great way to ensure that you are visible and to avoid an accident.
Whether you’re opening the back of your trailer for the 1,000th time or just handling a tool, having good protective gloves, such as the kind made of Kevlar, is key to preventing hand injury. We all need our hands, but you need yours to drive and to make a living. Don’t take any of your extremities or your experience for granted – assume that dangers are just that – dangerous – and plan ahead.
A good pair of boots are critical to comfort and safety. You should shop around and find a pair that make driving comfortable and also can protect you (steel toes, etc) from potential injury from heavy falling items. You should also be sure that the boots have good arch support, as a long time using your feet without arch support can be very painful and damaging.
If you have been in a trucking accident, contact RS Law Offices so that you can find out all of your legal options.
blogs
Five Apps Every Trucker Should Have
Driving a tractor trailer or any other large vehicle isn’t just about long hours, lots of miles and making sure you’re still driving safely after those lengthy days. It’s a lifestyle, and like any other connected lifestyle in the 21st century, there are plenty of apps to go around designed to help make a truck […]
Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in the United States
Whether due to size, or footprint of the motorcycle, or sheer stability, or a combination of these factors, motorcycles are much more likely to be involved in an accident than other automobiles. Certainly, in some cases, this is a visibility issue as well, with many drivers of other automobiles not looking in their blind spots […]
Five Apps for Bicyclists
Bicycle accidents happen all the time in the United States, and practicing bicycle safety is relatively simple – it just involves a lot of mindful riding and the safest possible equipment. Another part of safe bicycle riding is making sure you have your routes planned out and, in the case of an emergency, it doesn’t […]
How Dangerous are Ride Shares?
Everyone with a smartphone now has access to the next generation of personalized, private transportation. It used to be a matter of calling and reserving a cab or, in some places, hailing one from the side of the road. Since ridesharing is a new phenomenon, however, all of the kinks are still being worked out, […]
Five Helpful Facts and Tips About Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycles are specialist machines. They require their own licenses, training and a specific discipline for driving safely. Learning to drive defensively on a motorcycle can be more difficult than doing so in an automobile. Each year, there are 2,907 total motorcycle crashes, 2,274 of which result in injuries and 156 of which result in some […]
Five Pedestrian Accident Facts
Some numbers have Arizona as the most dangerous state in the U.S. when it comes to pedestrians. They are in the most danger by simply being outnumbered, which means accidents are likely to rise as the number of automobiles on the road continues to rise. It is important for you to not only understand how […]
Tips for Avoiding Slip & Fall Accidents
Slipping and falling is hilarious in the movies and on TV, but when you enter the real world, slipsand falls are some of the most dangerous causes of personal injuries one can experience outside of a vehicle accident. Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere and for many reasons – a simple spill, a loose […]
Tips for Avoiding Car Accidents
Whether you’re driving in a place where the environment is a little more driver-friendly, or if you’re somewhere where the weather poses a driving hazard, you can’t go wrong having a working knowledge of how best to avoid accidents. In 2020 alone, there were nearly 36,000 fatal motor vehicle accidents in the United States. Those […]
What to Look for When Hiring an Attorney
In Arizona and California, two big car cultures on the grow, you’re statistically more likely to be involved in some sort of motor vehicle accident or have some other legal concerns surrounding your automobile. Other injuries, like dog bites and slip and falls, are all-too common, and can be difficult to navigate with some kind […]
California Lemon Laws: How Exactly Do They Work?
Buying a car in California, whether brand new or slightly used is always an exciting experience. Even if you already have a few in your garage, the thought of painting the town red in a new ride is nothing but thrilling. So, it can be incredibly disappointing if your new or used car keeps on […]
контактная форма