At some point in your trucking career you will experience a breakdown. There are ways to lessen the amount of breakdowns you have by taking care of your truck and getting it regularly maintenanced. However, you cannot completely avoid a breakdown. Truck breakdowns are often stressful and expensive situations. It’s important to remain calm and collected in the event of a breakdown. In most cases, breakdowns are unpredictable. Here are some tips for how to handle a heavy duty breakdown.
Perform Regular Truck Maintenance
Truck breakdowns are inevitable. Regularly taking your truck to a mechanic will reduce the odds of breaking down while on the road. Most professional mechanics recommend that truckers have their truck serviced every 15,000 miles.
In addition, pre-trip inspections are a great way to reduce the risk of breaking down on the side of the road. Before hitting the road, perform a pre-trip inspection to make sure everything is in good shape.
Stay Calm
Breakdowns are unpredictable and annoying. Being stuck on the side of the road is a situation nobody wants to be in. In the event of a breakdown, it is important to remain calm. It is difficult to think straight when you are panicking or angry. Staying calm and making smart decisions during a breakdown could save your life.
Call For Help
If you are responsible for your truck, it is your job to find the heavy duty service you need in order to get your truck back on the road. The Trucker’s Network is a great way for truck drivers to find the nearest heavy duty services in the United States.
Keep Tools In Your Truck
Truck drivers need to be prepared for every situation. Although truckers are not required to have mechanical skills, they definitely do come in handy if their truck breaks down. Keeping tools in your semi truck could save you time and money. Check out our blog Tools Every Truck Driver Should Have.
What To Do If You Break Down
Follow these steps in the event of a heavy duty breakdown.
- Use Flashers: Turn on your flashers, slow down and find a safe place on the side of the road.
- Use Flares or Reflective Triangles: Set flares or reflective triangles to let other drivers know you have pulled over.
- Assess the Problem: Try to determine the issue before calling for help.
- Call Dispatch: Let your employer or dispatch know what is going on.
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