Driver Lifestyles

Danger Zone: Truck Stop Safety

The headlines tell the story.

Rigs robbed

Iowa has historically ranked high on the list of the safest states in which to live. But the state may be far from the top 10 on truckers’ lists of safe places to park.

Tractor sleeper compartments are the latest target for some savvy burglars in the Des Moines area. According to the Des Moines Register, more than 25 of them have been broken into since January.
 
According to news reports, the burglars aren’t much interest in hijacking cargo. Swiping televisions, stereo equipment, clothing and other possessions from the cabs seem to be the focus.

Family offers reward for information on slain trucker

Family and friends of truck driver Frank A. Dolce Jr. are offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the person who killed the 42-year-old truck driver on Valentine’s Day at a restaurant in Skippers, VA.

A driver for Ace Transportation out of Lafayette, LA, Dolce was shot in the head at about 8 p.m. Feb. 14 at the Love’s truck stop on Interstate 95 at Exit 4 in Skippers, VA.

Driver stabbed at I-96 rest area in Michigan, Suspect Sought

A 29-year-old trucker stopped along Interstate 96 in Michigan was attacked and mugged on Tuesday, May 24.

The driver, who has not been named at this time, was stopped at a rest area along I-96 in Genoa Township. According to police reports, the driver was robbed at knifepoint and stabbed in the stomach.  No arrests have been made in the incident.

The life of a professional driver is dangerous enough when rolling down the road, but he/she can most assuredly be at risk in the truckstop, rest area or just about anywhere they park for a meal, fuel or for rest.  The criminal element is always seeking prey and sometimes a truck driver walking through a darkened truckstop parking lot, or even sitting in his cab at a rest area appears to be an easy mark.

Assaults can happen anytime, anywhere  even in broad daylight and even in those parking areas that he may have safely used many times before.

Deciding where to park is one of the most important decisions a driver can make concerning his personal safety.

Where to Park
 
Yes, truck stops are usually crowded after a certain time in the evening, their C-stores and restaurants are high-priced and the showers are not always spic 'n span, but in most cases, they're the safest place to park that truck.
 
Still, no matter how safe an area appears to be, you need to take precautions. If possible, try to find a parking spot that is well lit and as close as possible to the main building.  Don't get too comfortable in the security of a truck stop, however. After all, you'll probably exit the truck at one time or another and of course, that's when you're the most vulnerable. There have been many cases of attacks and even deadly assaults on truck stop properties, so vigilance is the key word. 
 
A rest area may be your best alternative if you are not near a truckstop with available parking. But any rest area, isolated or not, can be hazardous at any time.

Many expediters in cargo vans and straight trucks have found that they have alternative parking areas in Wal-Mart's, all-night supermarkets or other "big-box" stores, but tractor-trailers in those lots usually draw the attention and the ire of the store management.  If there are a few trucks parked together, it does lend a little peace of mind, especially if you're all looking out for one another.

What about your pickup or delivery point as an overnight stop? Sure, if it's secure and the company doesn't mind.  Actually, with a fenced-in parking lot and a friendly guard at the gate who is also in your line-of-sight, it doesn't get much safer.

  

Dave Smiley is the Northern Regional Manager for Kris-Way Truck Leasing in Maine. He conducts corporate safety and compliance training for his company's clients and has also been a law enforcement officer for twenty years. 
 
His safety tips include:

"Lock your doors."

 "Make sure your cell phone is handy."
 
"Be sure you know where you are.  If you have to call 911, they will rely on you to tell them how to find you.(Geographic awareness)." 

"So many times, a caller will say something like, 'I'm in the rest area on I-95. No, I don't know which one!'  It's very difficult for emergency services to help anyone if they don't know where they are."
 
"Don't worry about protecting personal possessions.  If someone's going to take something, they'll take it whether you are in the way or not.  Too many suspects out there carry weapons of all kinds including electrically debilitating devices like stun guns and tasers."
 
"I recommend that drivers carry mace, pepper spray or a chemical propellant like that.  Those chemicals can give you the time to get away from an assailant."

 "The phrase to remember is 'situational awareness.'"
 
 
For female drivers
 
"I would discourage any CB chatter that would tell someone where you are, what truck you are in, etc."

"CB conversations are fine, but don't identify yourself or give away your location or destination.  The person you're conversing with may be harmless, but what about all the others who are listening in?"

"You should always let others think there is someone with you at all times - your co-driver, a big dog, etc."

For all drivers

Always pull your privacy curtains shut when parked. Constantly know your surroundings and, most importantly, follow your gut instinct. If something doesn't "feel" right, it probably isn't. 

When returning to your truck, approach the truck from the passenger side and use a flashlight to check the interior from there.

Many drivers are tempted to carry weapons in the truck or on their person but the penalties for doing so (especially a gun) are quite severe.  But, all drivers need a tire thumper or heavy flashlight close at hand in the cab or sleeper, don't they?
Cleaners or other aerosol sprays can also be used to deter an attack and are common items to have along.

Be alert, be aware and be safe!