Amid a cacophony of honking vehicles, a truck driver plowed into and completely obliterated an overpass sign while driving on freeway when he failed to notice that the bed of his truck bed was raised. Fortunately no one was seriously but as you can see in the video below, the company the driver works for is going to have a large general liability claim on their hands, and depending upon the condition of the driver, probably a workers compensation claim as well.
This is not the kind of claim you want on your loss history. This is the kind of loss that really jumps out at an underwriter when those loss runs come across his desk, especially considering the video has gone viral.
Here’s a few ways your trucking company can avoid a claim like the one in this video or any other large auto claim.
A thorough pre-trip inspection should be conducted before any trip. Have a check list that lists out everything you need to inspect and check it off one by one. This should include, among a litany of other tasks, checking for any leaks, making sure your cargo is properly secured and - last but not least - making sure the bed of your truck is lowered.
When you're trying to make deadlines and keep up with demand, it can be tempting to put pressure on your drivers to make sure loads are delivered on time. The FMCSA limits truck drivers to an 11 hour daily driving limit. Make sure your dispatch listens if a driver expresses to them that they are a too tired to the point that they feel as if they are a danger to themselves and to other drivers. Making sure your truck drivers get ample amount of sleep helps ensure that they are alert behind the wheel, which is important because an alert driver is more likely to fall asleep at the wheel, cause an accident and, of course, plow down the freeway with their truck bed raised.
There are two kinds of honking: one is of indignation and the other is of distress. Truck drivers are probably used to hearing the former from impatient vehicles so when the hear the ladder they hear no discernible difference. If the driver is laying down his horn in long, blaring way, then he is probably just angry. However, if there are multiple vehicles beeping over and over again all around you, there's a good chance something could be severely wrong and it may be wise to pull over.
In all seriousness though, train your drivers to be wary of their surroundings. It's not unusual for drivers to try to get the attention of the truck driver if something is wrong. The sooner the truck driver notices this, the better. Your drivers truck bed may not be raised, but the back door could be open (this is an example of why proper cargo coverage is essential).
Some blogs have speculated that the driver in the video was somewhat impaired. While I can neither confirm nor deny this, requiring employees that suffer a work related injury submit a drug test could save you from paying a large workers compensation claim. In many states (unfortunately, not Illinois) intoxication may be ground for denying a claim.
Good drivers are less likely to barrel down the freeway with the bed of their truck raised or get in another type of accident. They are also make your business much more attractive to insurance carriers. On a number of occasions I have seen competitive insurance companies deny coverage to a trucking company because of one bad driving record. As a result, I'm forced to provide coverage through a carrier that otherwise wouldn't have been competitive. In other words, before a bad driver even hits the road, they are already costing you money. Ensure that you are hiring the right drivers by properly screening new hires. Look at each candidates driving record, educational and employment history, and require a drug test before hiring.
Obviously, an accident like this one is very unusual and most drivers would never let this happen. But implementing these procedures can help prevent all kinds of accidents and create a culture of safety within your company.
For any trucking insurance questions you might have, or to request a free quote email Ryan Hanigan, rhanigan@congalins.com or call 630-737-9100.