In recent times, the logistics industry has recorded truck-related accidents. The conveyance of goods and products by truck is a crucial part of the supply chain industry. But it gets dark when product delivery leads to the unfortunate loss of lives and properties.
Accidents happen, but most are avoidable. Many of them are due to trucking companies not following rules and regulations. For instance, in the United States, there are several guidelines regarding shipping and delivery, including California trucking regulations. Yet, trucking businesses don’t pay attention to them, leading to accidents.
Aside from non-compliance with these rules, other factors that cause trucking accidents include:
- Bad Weather
Climate conditions determine the performance of truck drivers. Bad weather has been a significant cause of truck accidents in the logistics industry. In most cases, truck accidents caused by bad weather are preventable, but the uncertainties in the natural dispositions make that impossible.
Driving trucks in bad weather and poor road conditions will not only lead to accidents but also damaged or broken goods, which will impair the reputation of the logistics company. Therefore, a trucking driver should see bad weather as a sign to drive with caution or stop at a nearby checkpoint to avoid accidents.
- Lack Of Enthusiasm And Fatigue
Burnout is a red flag when assigning duties to truck drivers. It’s understandable to get tired during work processes, but it’s not advisable to work when you’re tired. Since driving is cognitive, fatigue affects focus and concentration. Not taking a break after exhaustion can lead to several hazards, including accidents.
Hence, it’s the company’s job to set a policy guiding the health and work ethics of truck drivers. The policy must emphasize good condition and sound mind as a prerequisite to embarking on a delivery journey anytime. Moreover, unless in rare scenarios, overtime should be discouraged to enforce rest and sleep habits in truck drivers.
- Chameleon Carriers
The recruitment of unfit drivers to carry out delivery functions in the logistics company has often led to the suspension of companies due to the record of preventable accidents. On no account and for no reason should a logistics firm hire unfit and inexperienced truck drivers. The dangers are impending, and in the long run, the firm will lose its license to operate in the economic space of the supply chain industry.
Companies fond of using inexperienced truck drivers to fill up the drivers’ shortage are called chameleon drivers. The hiring policies should be in sync with the regulations set by the US Accountability Office and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
- Equipment Failure
Equipment failure has also been a potent reason why truck accidents occur in the logistics business. Third-party manufacturers that neglect technology to place goods in the truck properly are responsible for accidents too. There are tech-enabled machines that allow easy ordering in the truck’s trunk. When these types of equipment are not used or fail during usage, truck accidents are bound to happen.
Common equipment failures that lead to truck accidents in the logistics space include transmission defects, unbalanced cargo, and manufacturing defects.
- Driver Error
Driver’s experience is a significant criterion to prevent trucking accidents. When drivers know their ways in and out of a city and handle trucks expertly, they cause fewer road hazards. But not many trucking companies look for these kinds of drivers. Because experience comes with demand in pay, logistics firms usually go for inexperienced ones as alternatives.
To err is to be human, but the logistics company needs to be cautious. Drivers are expected to be careful when carrying out product deliveries. Negligence is not tolerated because the industry booms based on the satisfaction of clients’ or consumers’ goods. Thus, companies will need to hire qualified truckers that cause fewer errors to avoid accidents.
- Poor Road Infrastructure
Unbalanced roads can impede the driving of a truck. Poor road networks are scarcely a reason for truck accidents in cosmopolitan regions. However, in remote areas with irregular attention to environmental development, the roads are why truck accidents occur. While this is not entirely the fault of a logistics company, there are measures to prevent accidents due to poor road networks. Some of these measures or steps include:
- Putting on seat belts
- Driving with the right attitude
- Limiting night driving
- Limiting speed driving
- Not driving under an influence
- Knowing the road signs
Understanding these safety measures will not just prevent an accident but reduce product waste as well. Besides, it helps grow your trucking business decisively.
Conclusion
Truck companies and drivers should take precautionary steps to reduce truck accidents. One way to do that is to understand the factors above and find solutions to them. As a result, logistics companies improve their sales and profits.
