Truck Safety Guide | South Carolina | Truck Dealership
Managing a truck or a fleet of trucks is a massive responsibility. You will need to ensure you meet your clients’ expectations through the timely delivery of your projects and acquire more customers for your business. However, this shouldn’t distract you from ensuring the safety of your trucks and other motorists on the road. As the manager or owner of your fleet, you will need to take the first step. Don’t worry if you are unsure where to begin—we have you covered.
As your local truck dealer in South Carolina, we at Carolina International Trucks want you safe and your business rolling. Our experts have gathered a few strategies to help you reduce road accidents, and we hope you share them with your drivers.
Conduct Regular Training
Safety training plays a massive role in ensuring everyone is on page with the latest protocols. Ensure you educate your drivers about applying safety tactics when driving a truck and put a plan in place to assess their skills routinely. You might also want to create an accident prevention plan and discuss a past or recent incident to see what you could do differently. You will also want to ensure each vehicle is checked before it hits the road.
Maintain Your Fleet Proactively
Quality truck fleet maintenance keeps your vehicles shining and performing like they did when they were new. Make sure you service your rig regularly and fix any issues before they get worse. If you neglect the problems and allow them to sit for a long time, they can result in costly repairs and unwanted downtime. They can also cause road accidents, jeopardizing your safety and the safety of others on the road.
Before your trucks leave your facility, fix the faulty steering wheel, the foggy mirrors, and unresponsive brakes, and replace any worn-out tires. This will help minimize incidents and show your clients that you are a thorough professional.
Invest in Safety Gear
We often suggest our customers ensure truck drivers wear safety gear like high-visibility workwear, hard hats, and hand protection gear when driving their rig.
You will also want to provide your drivers with fire extinguishers, a first aid kit, roadside signs, traffic cones, wheel chocks, paddle signals, safety cone holders, and a collision system. Ensure that you invest in good quality gear that works in poor weather conditions and remote locations.
Hire a Safety Manager
As stated earlier, road safety takes the collective effort of everyone in the team, including your driver, technician, and you. However, to prevent anything from going haywire, it will be better to have someone take responsibility for the overall safety of your fleet. If you have the budget, you might want to hire a safety manager for this role. If that’s not feasible, you can assign one or two employees to take care of the safety operations. The person should:
- Ensure that your drivers adhere to the truck transportation laws of your state.
- Familiarize themselves with your existing insurance policy and fix any loopholes.
- Coordinate with insurance carriers and identify relevant policies for your business.
Each step counts, especially when it is about ensuring on-road safety. So, prioritize safety and ensure that everyone in your team also does. If you need more advice or are still in the market for a truck, visit Carolina International Trucks. We have multiple locations throughout South Carolina and proudly serve those from Columbia.