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Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

There are many devices and safety features that can be added to a truck in order to help prevent car-truck accidents and trucking accidents. Whether you are a company owner looking to outfit your fleet or a truck driver buying your own truck, here are some features that can help prevent a truck accident and the injuries it can cause:

1) Seat belts. Seat belts, of course, are required by law and come standard with all trucks. However, they need to be used to be effective. If you are buying a used truck, ensure that the seat belts work properly. They are the most basic device used to help prevent brain injuries and other serious injuries in an accident. Some trucks come with “reminder” bells that chime if someone in the cab is not wearing a seatbelt. This can be very handy for reminding drivers about the importance of seat belts.

2) GPS devices. GPS devices can help drivers avoid distractions. Good GPS systems are accurate and include voice instructions, so that drivers do not have to look at the device map itself. Since delivery drivers are often sent to unfamiliar locations, a good GPS system is crucial for directing drivers safely and with minimal distractions to their location.

3) Back view devices. Some GPS systems come with a special “rear view” feature which allows drivers to see what is behind them when they are backing up. This is invaluable, since it helps prevent pedestrian accidents and other tragedies caused by a driver’s blind spot.

4) Alarms. Alarms on a truck can notify pedestrians and other drivers when a truck is backing up. This is essential in helping to prevent workplace and pedestrian accidents.

5) A brake transmission shift interlock device. Industry regulators and the National Transportation Safety Board are considering making these devices mandatory, as they might prevent accidents caused by drivers hitting the accelerator instead of the brakes. These devices can reduce trucking accidents caused by driver error.

If you own a company and will be hiring a temporary truck driver or truck driving service to fill holiday orders, taking a few extra precautions can help ensure that you prevent any accidents that could cost you money and could cause personal injury:

1) Recruit carefully. You can place ads in newspapers, but you can also find applicants by hiring a recruiting service. Look for recruiters who carefully screen applicants and have a good record of providing quality truck drivers. It is a good idea to look for local recruiters who regularly place truck drivers and drivers – these services will have the best idea of where to find qualified workers.

2) Screen applicants. Whether you use a recruiting agency or hire yourself, you need to screen applicants. If a truck driver you have hired causes a personal injury or fatality with your company truck or causes an accident while working for you, you could be held liable. The situation will be even worse if there are reasons to believe that a driver is not qualified. If you do not screen carefully, you could find yourself in a difficult legal position. Check references carefully and check to ensure that a driver has the training and credentials he or she claims to have. There are PI (private investigation) services that can help you run screens on drivers for a flat fee. Often, this small investment is worthwhile, since PIs can find car and accident records as well as criminal records from other states.

3) Develop rules in writing and ensure that your drivers or service will adhere to those rules. For regular employees and new drivers, you should have written rules of work. These should include safety rules – such as how long a driver should drive before taking breaks – as well as general rules regarding safety and customer service. Go over these rules and have your new driver sign them.

4) Offer training. A new driver should be trained by someone in your company to ensure that deliveries are made safely and to your company standards. This will help ensure that the driver understands exactly what you need from him or her as a worker.

5) Follow up. For temporary drivers, check to see that deliveries are made on time and safely and check to make sure that your driver is taking correct breaks and is adhering to speed limits. Often, this can be determined with a through look at the paper work.

6) Do truck maintenance. If you are hiring a truck driver and a truck, have the truck inspected to ensure that it is safe. If your temporary truck driver will be using a company truck, have the truck inspected and go over the inspection results with the driver. Look at the truck with the driver, so that everyone is clear about the condition of the vehicle. If a driver expresses concerns about a truck’s safety, have the issue looked into and resolved immediately.

A new federal initiative aims to reduce trucking accidents and make the roads safer for everyone by, among other things, gathering additional information about truck drivers. The aim is to ensure that fewer truck accidents claim lives and that fewer accidents cause burn injuries, spinal cord injuries, head trauma, and other serious personal injuries. The new initiative is being overseen by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Under the new initiative, information will be gathered by the CSA 2010 from motor carriers. The CSA 2010 will gather facts about driving safety and safety records of motor carriers. This monitoring, as well as the additional powers granted to the CSA 2010 by the government will allow the CSA 2010 to give out more penalties as well as allow the group to issue warnings, launch investigations, and intervene when it sees unsafe trucking practices. These new regulations will mean a more prompt response to unsafe trucking as well as more regular interventions when unsafe conditions do occur.

Trucking companies and motor carriers will have to follow all the same rules, but the enforcement of those rules will change under the new initiative. There are signs in the industry that new enforcement is necessary. According to the FMCSA, less than 2% of the approximately 750,000 trucks and trucking companies are reviewed for compliance each year. The current review system is SafeStat. Under SafeStat, some trucking companies have not been reviewed for safety compliance since 1989.

The new initiative will also allow intervention. It will also hold individual, specific drivers accountable for unsafe driving practices. Currently, under SafeStat, where safety problems are found but no collision has occurred as a result of them, neither the motor operator nor driver are required to face any consequences. Under the new initiative, individual truck drivers will be monitored for safety over the course of their careers and their safety records will be reported to all employers.

Under the new rules, if a motor carrier or driver is found to be unsafe, a letter will arrive for the carrier or driver, outlining the issue. Then, a computer-based investigation will be launched into the matter. Eventually, investigators will visit the driver or carrier or collision site to glean more details. If penalties or other actions must be taken, they will be initiated after the investigation is complete.

The new initiative will evaluate motor carriers and drivers based on seven issues which have been proven by the FMSCA to lead to trucking accidents. These issues include fatigue (which will be based on hours driven as well as other factors), unsafe driving practices, driver physical fitness for the job, use of controlled substances, truck maintenance, proper storage and transportation of cargo, and accident histories.

Trucking accidents cause many fatalities each year as well as serious personal injuries, including spinal cord injuries, burns, brain trauma, and other serious injuries. Many people can help prevent these accidents. Drivers of passenger vehicles can use extra caution when passing or driving around trucks, recognizing that trucks require more time to brake and respond to situations. Motor carriers can ensure that drivers have reasonable deadlines and that trucks are correctly maintained. Truck drivers, too, can do many things to help prevent accidents:

1) Proper physical maintenance. Although truck driving requires a lot of sitting, it is a physically demanding job. Truck drivers need to take care of their bodies in order to stay safe on the road. Regular, good rest, for example, is essential in helping prevent accidents caused by driver fatigue. Inattention and fatigue often lead to trucking accidents, so drivers need to exercise, eat well, get rest, and get regular physical exams to stay safe behind the wheel.

2) Stay alert to blind spots. About one in three truck accidents involve a truck driver missing something that was in a blind spots. Drivers need to adjust and check mirrors regularly. Truck drivers also need to check blind spots carefully, especially when reversing or turning.

3) Reduce speed in work areas. Work zones involving road construction are unpredictable areas and areas that also contain lots of extra people and vehicles. It is important to slow down and stay extra alert. About 33% of fatalities in these zones involve trucks.

4) Maintain the truck. Even if a motor carrier is responsible for maintaining trucks, drivers should still inspect the vehicle before each drive – damage to the truck can occur at any time, even between maintenance checkups. Check brakes, tires, and give the truck a general once-over before getting into the cab.

5) Place plenty of distance between the truck and other vehicles. Although a truck’s height gives driver’s a better view and allows them to anticipate stops, trucks do require more space to stop. Drivers need to give themselves extra space to avoid collisions.

6) Drive defensively. One out of two fatal traffic collisions may be caused by aggressive driving, according to studies. Driving defensively rather than aggressively can help save lives. Driving defensively includes maintaining a safe speed and maintaining a distance from drivers who behave aggressively on the road.

Trucking accidents involving commercial trucks and passenger vehicles tend to end in tragedy. The two vehicles are simply unevenly matched. A large commercial truck can easily crush a small passenger car, causing fatalities or serious personal injury for everyone inside. According to Road Safe America, however, there are several things that drivers can do to avoid collisions with trucks:

1) Stay alert about visibility when approaching a truck. Keep in mind that trucks have many blind spots. Generally, you need to be able to see a truck’s side mirrors to ensure that a driver can see you. Try to make eye contact with the driver in the truck in the mirrors to ensure that he or she can see you. Keep in mind, too, that trucks are large enough to affect your visibility. Do not make assumptions about what might be in front of a truck or behind it, where you cannot see. Up to one in three car-truck collisions occur due to blind spots, so make sure drivers can see you and drop back behind a truck so that you can see what you need to see around the truck.

2) Do not cut in front of trucks. Trucks require more time to stop and may not be able to stop in time to prevent a major accident. If you need to pass a truck, accelerate your car and ensure that your speed is consistent, so that the truck driver can predict what you are doing and can anticipate your actions. When you can see the entire truck cab in your rear-view mirror, signal your lane change and pull in front of the truck.

3) Be extra careful when a truck is making a right turn. To turn right, large trucks must move to the left quite wide. Never pass a truck when it is turning right – your vehicle may be crushed as the truck turns. Always take note of a truck’s signal lights to ensure that you can pass safely.

4) Give trucks extra room. Trucks require extra time to execute most manoeuvres and keep in mind that trucks have many blind spots and can affect your own visibility as well. Giving trucks an extra space ahead ensures that you stay safe. In bad weather or on highways (where higher speeds are a factor), give trucks even more room. About six seconds of space is a good idea.

5) Act if you see unsafe driving. If you see a truck driver weaving on the road or otherwise acting unsafely, leave even more room between yourself and the truck, so that you have time to respond if the truck does something unexpected. Contact local authorities to report the truck and to help prevent an accident.

The federal government has many rules and regulations governing the driving of 18-wheeler trucks on the road. All states also have their own laws and regulations regarding these trucks. These large trucks are essential for businesses and transport, but due to their size, they can cause a great deal of harm and injury in an accident. Trucking accidents involving 18-wheeler trucks often result in fatalities, burn injuries, head injuries, and other serious and permanent injuries. All drivers and motor carriers who own such trucks must abide by state and federal laws. These laws include provisions such as:

1) Licensing requirements put in place by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). All drivers who operate a tractor-trailer rig need a special license, known as the commercial driver’s license (CDL). To qualify for this license, a driver must demonstrate his or her ability to drive a large truck. To do this, the driver must pass CDL examinations and complete training as a truck driver. A driver must be 21 years of age to qualify for a CDL. If a driver will be transporting hazardous materials, he or she needs to pass additional testing and must get additional training, as a special CDL license is required.

2) Federal laws dictate that trucking companies, motor carriers, trucks, and drivers must have specific levels of insurance. Often, this insurance is based on the cargo being transported. In many cases, if a driver is an employee of a trucking company, the company will arrange all insurance needed.

3) DOT regulations also impose “Hours of Service” restrictions on truck drivers. This means that the number of consecutive hours a driver can drive is strictly regulated. These rules also regulate how often a driver must stop to take a rest. Drivers are required to maintain a written record of stops, hours, and distance traveled to ensure that they are following these regulations. These regulations are in place to ensure that drivers are not overly fatigued and therefore dangerous on the road.

4) Federal regulations also impose certain restrictions on cargos and weights of trucks. For example, some hazardous materials are not permitted to be transported along specific public roads. As well, all loads must be secured according to regulations and correctly itemized and labeled.

5) DOT regulations dictate some driver behaviors on the road. For example, all truck drivers must follow road signs and must follow the rules of the road. Drivers are not permitted to drink and drive or possess controlled drugs.

The National Transportation Safety Board and other investigators from other agencies are citing sleep apnea as a contributing factor or even chief factor in a number of transportation truck accidents. Trucking accidents, bus accidents, train accidents, boating accidents, aviation accidents, and other accidents have all been linked to the disorder. Now, the federal government and some experts want new regulations which would screen pilots, sailors, truck drivers, bus drivers, and other operators of heavy equipment and vehicles for the disorder.

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder which causes a patient to very briefly stop breathing or lose breath in his or her sleep. This can cause the patient to get inadequate rest due to interrupted sleep. Some patients have their sleep interrupted hundreds of times a night, causing a bad quality sleep. During the daytime, sufferers of sleep apnea may feel fatigued and may have a harder time concentrating that those who are able to get a full, restful sleep.

The National Transportation Safety Board has cited a number of trucking accidents caused by sleep apnea. According to their findings, about 7% of adults have sleep apnea and may be unsafe behind the wheel as a result of it. Drivers who suffer from sleep apnea, like all fatigued drivers, may have slower response times and may fall asleep behind the wheel.

The problem with sleep apnea is that many adults who suffer from the disorder are not aware that they have it. Often, there are no symptoms of the disorder other than habitual drowsiness, but many people dismiss fatigue as the normal result of a full and hectic life. For many people, drowsiness becomes habitual and “normal” so that they do not even see fatigue as a symptom.

Often, sleep apnea is caused by an airway obstruction. As a result, many people who suffer from sleep apnea also snore in their sleep. Once detected, sleep apnea can be treated effectively by removing the obstruction causing the problem. If sleep apnea is not treated, it cause many health problems which can also be dangerous for truck drivers: high blood pressure, headaches, heart problems, memory difficulties, and weight gain.

The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that transport truck drivers be screened for sleep apnea annually during a physical check-up. The National Transportation Safety Board has made a similar recommendation to the Federal Aviation Administration regarding pilots in order to prevent aviation accidents. Regular screening would help uncover those adults who suffer from sleep apnea so that they can get treatment before the disorder causes an accident.

The OSHA reports that an estimated 95,000 workers are in industrial truck accidents or incidents. These accidents result in everything from burn injuries to head trauma to spinal cord injuries and fatalities. Worse, not all employees are correctly insured to ensure that medical costs resulting from these accidents are fully covered. In many cases, investigations into these accidents revealed poor operator training.

Lift trucks are one of the most commonly used industrial trucks in the workplace. Some employers do try to save money by taking on less insurance for workers, by offering less training, and by doing less maintenance on trucks. In the long run, these strategies can result in accidents and in much higher costs for companies. According to Safe-T-Consultants, many companies skimp on training and maintenance, even though these two things can keep insurance costs and overall costs down.

Insurance costs are something that many companies struggle with. The National Coalition on Healthcare reports that health insurance premiums for small companies increase 12% each year, on average, while inflation has been an average of 2.5% annually. As a result, some companies do not offer employees coverage or offer only minimal coverage. Unfortunately, if a workplace accident occurs and a truck accident in the workplace causes personal injuries, the injuries are likely to require a great deal of coverage. Truck accidents, due to the size and force of trucks, often result in fatalities or permanent personal injuries requiring extensive hospital stays. Employees may be forced to seek legal redress to cover these costs if employers do not offer adequate insurance. For the employer, offering good health insurance despite the premium costs, is a priority.

Training truck drivers and other employees is much more affordable than health coverage for employees and can keep accidents as well as insurance premiums down. Training can cost very little per hour, since all employees can be trained at the same time. Insurance companies may also be willing to consider driver training and such additional safety measures taken when considering premiums, so such training can start saving companies money upfront. In many cases, training costs can also have tax benefits for motor carriers. Extra training, however, can significantly help reduce trucking accidents. Well trained drivers and employees know what to do to prevent accidents and can react appropriately to prevent an accident.

Maintenance can also keep insurance costs down while reducing car accidents. Regular maintenance of trucks should include frequent checks of all system, seasonal tire changes, immediate repairs when needed, and careful consideration of truck or truck part recalls. Maintenance helps ensure that trucks will not cause an accident and can help prevent expensive suits after an accident.

Good safety processes are also important in helping businesses prevent trucking accidents. Good business practices for safety include limiting truck driver hours and encouraging reasonable deadlines which will not require the driver to speed. Other best practices can include random tests for controlled substances, employee background checks, and proper storage and securing of truck cargo. All of these extra steps will help prevent high long-term costs and will also help prevent accidents.

Workplace accidents are always a tragedy, but they can be especially dangerous when they involve trucks. Many workplaces require employees to operate or work near trucks, and if safety measures are not adhered to scrupulously, dangerous trucking accidents can occur. Truck rollovers can easily occur when safety procedures are not followed, and employees can be involved in truck collisions or may be crushed by trucks. Like trucking accidents on the roads, trucking accidents at the work place can result in brain trauma, spinal cord injuries, fatalities, and other tragedies.

Technology in some places may help employees avoid trucking accidents on the job. For example, in municipalities across the country, some sanitation employees are driving more automated trucks rather than the traditional vehicles. These trucks allow sanitation workers to remain in the trucks, which reduces the risks of an employee being hit by a vehicle while getting in and out of the truck.

Many jobs requiring trucks have a high risk rate. For example, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2008, refuse collection has the sixth-highest death rate of jobs. In 2008, 31 refuse collection workers died on the job. In many cases, these accidents involved truck accidents or a worker being struck and killed by another vehicle when exiting the truck.

In addition to refuse collection, other jobs involving trucks also have a high risk rate. For example, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2008, loggers have the second-highest fatality rate on the job, second only to fishery workers. In 2008, 82 loggers died on the job. Transporting lumber – which can be an unstable cargo if not securely tied down – can be a danger for loggers. Farmers and ranchers had the fifth-leading number of fatalities on the job in 2008. That year, 317 ranchers and farmers were killed on the job. Accidents involving farming equipment as well as farm truck rollovers are a danger for these workers. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2008, truck drivers, sales workers, and drivers had the ninth deadliest job. In 2008, 815 drivers were killed on the job.

There are of course many things that employers can do to help prevent trucking accidents at the workplace. Ensuring that trucks are properly maintained is an important first step. Carefully screening and training employees who work with trucks is also important. In many cases, ensuring that trucks can be easily seen and heard helps prevent pedestrian accidents involving workplace trucks. Many workplaces now also review safety procedures regularly to ensure that all employees know how to stay safe.

Of course, employees also have a responsibility to remain safe. Employees should get the training they need for their job and take continuing education classes as needed to stay safe on the job. Employees who drive trucks as part of their work should get the correct licensing and should take care to not overexert or overtire themselves while driving. All employees should report safety issues immediately and should persist until any problems have been satisfactorily resolved.

All trucking accidents have the potential to be devastating. Even accidents involving smaller delivery vans can result in fatalities, brain trauma, burn injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other serious personal injuries. However, some trucks, by their very nature, are far more dangerous in a collision. For example, tanker trucks carry liquid cargo which often includes hazardous, flammable, or otherwise dangerous materials.

When tanker trucks are in a collision, their liquid cargo reacts very differently than solid materials in a standard truck. If a tanker truck is not filled to capacity, for example, the liquid cargo can slosh around when the truck is speeding or taking turns. This can cause the truck to move more and can make the vehicle harder to control. When a tanker truck is not filled to capacity, there is no way to properly balance or secure the liquid so that it will not move. This means that the truck is less stable. When tanker trucks are less than three quarters full, the weight of the liquid can shift dramatically, causing the truck to potentially spin out of control and roll over. These tankers tend to continue rolling after their initial roll, because of the shifting weight of the liquid.

In the event of a collision, the chemicals in a tanker truck can spill out or explode, specially if the outer hull of the tanker is damaged in the accident. If the liquid is flammable, the large amount of liquid in the truck can cause a massive fire and can put many people at risk of death or severe burn injuries. If the tanker truck is carrying a flammable liquid such as gasoline, the substance can burn at such high temperatures that it can destroy roads, bridges, and overpasses. Obviously, it can completely consume any vehicle or person it its path.

A tanker truck that catches on fire after a collision can cause a chain reaction of accidents and injuries. Since the fire can destroy roadways and infrastructure, other vehicles not involved in the initial crash may inadvertently drive along the damaged road and cause a car accident. As well, the flames from the initial accident can spread to other trucks full of flammable cargo or to other vehicles.

States have strict rules about the weight limits trucks can carry. Unfortunately, liquids are difficult to weigh since different liquids have different densities. Most trucking companies calculate their tanker cargo weight based on water weight. This can result in severe overloading of a truck when a liquid is very dense. A tanker truck that is overweight can be extremely dangerous and at a high risk of accidents.

Trucking companies transporting dangerous or flammable liquids must adhere to certain conditions. They are only allowed to transport these dangerous liquids on certain roads, for example. Trucking companies must also ensure that drivers entrusted with such dangerous loads have special training and are tested in addition to having their commercial trucking license. Any trucking company who is negligent in adhering to these regulations may be held liable and may even be charged in the event of an accident.

Unfortunately, many trucking accidents result not only in serious personal injuries, such as spinal cord injuries or head trauma, but also tend to result in fatalities. Due to the size and weight of most commercial trucks, they can easily crush passenger cars or pedestrians. Many people simply do not survive a truck accident.

If you have lost a loved one in a trucking accident, in addition to the tremendous sense of loss, you may face financial hardship. If the lost loved one contributed to your family income, you may find yourself suddenly with a much diminished income while also facing memorial expenses and final illness and medical costs. The loss of your loved one is devastating, and in addition you will lose many years of an additional income. You may be too grieved to return to work immediately yourself.

If a trucking accident has been caused by negligence on the part of the truck driver, trucking company, or truck manufacturer, you may decide to file a wrongful death suit. A wrongful death case seeks to recover some of the financial damages caused by the loss of your loved one. While it cannot erase the pain, it does allow you to access the financial resources you may be entitled to under the law. This financial help can at least ensure that you can meet your financial obligations while you attempt to recover your life.

A wrongful death suit often also highlights the negligence that has caused a trucking accident. Most attorneys investigate the causes of a trucking accident very closely, so that the trucking company and the insurance provider become very aware of the conditions that permitted an accident to occur. In this way, wrongful death cases often bring about changes which help prevent future trucking accidents.

The decision to launch a wrongful death suit is usually very difficult. The decision must be made at a very difficult time, when you are still grieving. For this reason, choosing a good Florida personal attorney is essential. A good personal injury attorney will be compassionate and sensitive to your needs and will pursue your case for you, so that you can focus on recovery.

Companies owning fleets of trucks – whether for rentals, deliveries, or for some other purpose – have a responsibility to ensure that those trucks are driven safely. Unfortunately, thousands of accidents involving trucks occur on American roads and some of these accidents lead to fatalities or serious personal injuries. In some of these cases, it is found that trucking companies are not doing all they can to ensure that their vehicles are safe. Trucking companies can do a number of things to ensure that their trucks are safe:

1) Maintenance. Regular maintenance is vital for trucks. In addition to changing oil, checking for problems, and fixing any issues a truck has, regular maintenance by a qualified mechanic ensures that possibly dangerous mechanical problems are fixed. Responsible trucking companies ensure that maintenance is regular and that any repairs suggested by a mechanic are completed before a truck is placed on the road again.

2) Safe trucks. Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring that their trucks are safe to drive. This means that if a truck manufacturer recalls a model or issues a recall on any part of a truck, the trucking company must comply and ensure that the mechanical issue is resolved before the car operates on the road.

3) Proper business practices. Irresponsible trucking companies sometimes have business practices that ensure unsafe driving. For example, some companies place excessive loads on their trucks or demand that their drivers meet nearly impossible deadlines, which compels the drivers to speed or drive until they are very fatigued. If a company’s policies are found to have contributed to an accident, the company can be held partly liable for the collision and any personal injuries or property damage that results.

4) Employee screening and training. Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring that their drivers are safe. This means that companies must work to hire safe drivers, must check their drivers to ensure that they are qualified, and must ensure that all drivers have adequate training for their job.

5) Insurance. Trucking companies are responsible for having adequate insurance to cover any damages and injuries caused by a trucking accident.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a trucking accident, contact a qualified Florida attorney. A personal injury attorney can launch an investigation to determine whether a trucking company was negligent in failing to meets its responsibilities and duties. A Florida personal injury attorney can also protect your rights and ensure that you have all the help you require as you heal from your injuries.

Each year, drivers sustain serious head injuries, broken bones, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other serious injuries while driving rental trucks. Investigative reports and investigations into rental truck companies have found that some rental companies are not as careful as they should be concerning safety. If you need to rent a truck, here are some steps you should take if you are not sure of a truck’s safety:

1) Test before you drive. Before you drive off the rental car lot, do a walk-around inspection with the rental agent and then ask the rental agent to drive around the lot with you. This gives you a chance to notice any problems with the truck and allows you to ask any questions you need to ask before you drive the vehicle. If you notice any problems with the truck, seek another truck or rental company. Once you drive off the lot, visit a mechanic you trust to look at the truck, just to ensure it is road-worthy.

2) Ask for verification of the truck’s safety. Ask the rental agency for proof of the truck’s last maintenance and inspection. The rental agency should be able to tell you exactly when the last maintenance was done on the truck and what that maintenance involved.

3) If you notice something unusual, call the rental truck company right away. If you notice the truck behaving unusually while on the road, call your rental company right away to report the problem and ask for assistance. Most rental companies have road side assistance.

4) Visit a mechanic. If you notice anything unusual about the way the truck handles, pull into a mechanic’s shop right away. This ensures that you have proof of mechanical problems in case there is a dispute with the rental company. Evidence of mechanical problems also usually pressures the rental company into offering you assistance right away.

5) Refuse to drive further. If there is a problem with the truck or you suspect that the truck is not safe, refuse to drive any further with the vehicle. If you suspect that something may be amiss and you continue to drive, you may be held partly liable for any accident that results.

6) Do not drive a truck that is unsafe for you. Sometimes, a truck is not mechanically unsafe but it is still dangerous to drive if you are unfit to drive the vehicle. If you are not qualified to drive a truck or do not feel that you can safely operate the vehicle, do not drive the truck. Even if it is mechanically sound, you might cause an accident.