According to truckinfo.net, there are about 1.2 million trucking companies in the US currently. Owning a trucking business can be highly lucrative because the industry is essential to the country’s economy. However, the transport and logistics sector is notoriously risky, so it is no surprise that it is heavily regulated by federal and state law. As such, it isn’t uncommon to face many instances of personal liability exposure, so it is crucial to secure your enterprise adequately. Below are some great ways to protect your trucking business from liability.
Inspect your fleet regularly
Many lawsuits that truckers and trucking businesses face arise due to claims about the driver’s negligence. However, some accidents happen because of problems with the truck itself. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Large Truck Crash Causation Study revealed that approximately 10% of truck accidents happen when an issue with the truck causes the driver to lose control. Some of these problems include brake failure, cargo shift due to incorrect loading, and tire failure. Luckily, you can circumvent most of these problems through careful inspections, so it is crucial to scrutinize every truck before it leaves your facility. This way, you can avoid being sued by injured parties who have enacted a Truck Accident Lawyer to act on their behalfdue to accidents that could have been averted by proper vehicle inspection and maintenance.
Obtain the right insurance coverage
Getting the right insurance is also crucial to protecting your trucking company from liability, so keep this in mind. Fortunately, trusted insurance companies like One Sure Insurance offer great policies that cover self-employed drivers, drivers of single trucks, and entire company fleets. All you need to do is give specific relevant details, after which you will obtain an insurance policy that provides the best price with the exact coverage you need. This way, you can enjoy the necessary peace of mind to run your business smoothly.
Hire trained drivers
Chris Spear, President, and CEO of the American Trucking Associations, recently revealed that the country has a shortage of about 80,000 truck drivers. Consequently, although drivers are in short supply, many experts advise hiring quality professionals instead of settling for untrained drivers. Hiring unqualified drivers can result in higher verdicts if a personal injury lawyer proves that your company hired poorly trained drivers despite knowing about their inadequacies. Therefore, ensure that all your hires have valid commercial driver’s licenses and endorsements for the type of truck they will be driving. Additionally, check drivers’ driving records, medical records, and references to ensure that you recruit qualified professionals only.
Enforce compliance with rules
All your drivers must keep logs that satisfy federal and state standards. These logs should indicate that drivers don’t exceed the maximum number of daily driving hours. Although these logs do not necessarily prove that your drivers get adequate sleep, they are solid proof that your truckers meet mandated standards for rest periods. Thankfully, trucking companies can rely on many tools to verify log entries. For instance, you can install GPS tracking devices in your trucks to know your trucks’ location, operating hours, and even speeds. Your company will likely be considered negligent if it does not monitor compliance with the law, so doing this is non-negotiable to avoid liability.
