Truck stops can be a haven for truck drivers who spend long hours on the road. In addition to refueling yourself and the truck, you can get some rest and park your truck in a safe location. However, not all truck stops are equally safe for yourself or your rig. Even in the safest truck stops, there are risks of damage to your vehicle. Many truck accidents occur in truck stop parking lots, given the tight parking situations. There are also horror stories out there about drivers whose trucks have been broken into and who were put into dangerous situations. As an owner operator or company driver, you can guard your truck, and your safety, by following a few simple truck driver safety tips.
Safety at truck stops
There are many reasons why parking and safety are issues at truck stops. First of all, most trucks are now longer than the allotted parking space. This is because most current truck stops were built a few decades ago when the average truck was much shorter in length. The parking lots haven’t grown in size along with the length of current trucks. There may also be unnecessary traffic at truck stops due to student drivers. Some CDL trainers bring student drivers to truck stops to practice their skills. Unfortunately for you, this means there’s a higher chance that your rig could be damaged by a rookie who is just learning the ropes.
You may be tempted to overlook the chances of damage at truck stops but take a minute to think about the costs.
Even if you have an insurance deductible on your truck as an owner operator, it wouldn’t cover all the damage. It doesn’t take much by a careless rookie to rack up about $5,000 in damage. Add the costs of parts and labor, and the economic loss of downtime, and you’re looking at several thousand in damage. Personal safety at truck stops is also of major concern. While you may think truck stops look safe enough, they can be targets for robberies in the middle of the night. Here are a few truck driver safety tips you can follow to protect yourself and the rig.
Truck safety
There are a few simple tips you can follow to reduce the chances of damage to your rig while parked at a truck stop. First, try parking at the very end of the parking area, away from the fuel island. You may have to try stopping earlier at night to find a good spot farther away. The reason is that there is less parking traffic that occurs here. The farther you are from moving trucks, the better. You might want to avoid the entire truck stop if they have a smaller parking lot. Second, pick a good parking spot.
Parking next to immovable objects like poles makes it less likely that another truck hits you on at least one side of your vehicle.
Avoid stopping next to trucks which had a shoddy parking job, or which seem like they’re going to be leaving soon. In fact, don’t park next to other trucks, or on the ends of rows, if you can avoid it. You may want to consider parking nose-in, so you can back out easily. Your truck won’t be hit by anyone pulling in or out.
You’ll want to take safety precautions for your cargo as well. Pad lock your loads, and consider using the seat belt to secure the door. You can run it through the door handle and fasten it. Lastly, consider investing in dash cams. These handy devices can record events in front of your truck. You’ll be able to view this footage if someone hits your truck and takes off. In such an event, you want to protect your reputation as a driver with your carrier, and have clear evidence of what happened, even if the camera can’t identify the culprit.
Personal safety
In addition to your rig, you need to take safety measures to protect yourself at truck stops. Not all truck stops are equally dangerous. You can save yourself some trouble by reading reviews ahead of time for which truck stops to avoid at all costs. Some truck stops have taken measures like security cameras to make their premises safer. Even at the best truck stops there is always a small chance of robberies or burglaries. The valuable cargo you’re carrying can make you a prime target for such crime. Avoid talking about your freight when you’re in public or within earshot of others. Don’t forget your cargo is precious!
Women drivers in particular may have to think about safety concerns more than men, even though truck stops are taking measures to become more female-friendly.
If you’re staying the night at truck stops, there are simple ways to make your area more secure. First, make sure to lock all doors to avoid break-ins. You may also want to pull the blinds over the front windshield so that your possessions aren’t visible. Most company drivers inform their carriers exactly where they are staying for the night for documentation and record-keeping purposes. Finally, consider investing in more cameras. Dash cams can be placed aside from the front blinds so they can capture footage of any would-be perpetrators.
Keeping these truck driver safety tips in mind will help you secure yourself and your rig in truck stops across the country.
Find a CDL Driving Job
We match truck drivers and owner operators with jobs that fit your professional qualifications and personal preferences, including pay, home time, and more.
Really thought there would be some of the helpful tricks I employ. Guess I need to list them, right? Most are common sense but the writer of the article is probably not a driver.
1. Park nose in, in front of an open isle, so you can back out easily, so your tractor is not going to be hit by someone pulling out or in.
2. Don’t talk about your load while you are in public and on the phone.
3. Buy a 10ft 1″ wide ratchet strap and run it through the door pulls from door to door so even if someone picks the lock or uses a slim Jim they can’t open either door.
Hi Robert, thanks for taking the time to reach out and provide these tips. These are great and extremely helpful for drivers!
If you don’t have a ratchet strap, you can always use your seat belts. Take your seat belt, run it through the door handle and fasten it.
Here’s my problem with carrying a gun in my truck even tho I would love to carry. There is no nationwide gun permit. If it’s legal in Tn, its not legal to carry it in New York. But it’s best to have one and not need it, thank to not have one and need it..
make sure your seat belt is locked as well
Bull@hit, nosing in is for the ones who cant back. Probably driving school trainee, there are locks that cant be cut by a saw BUY ONE , and last but not least DONT PARK IN THE TRUCKSTOPS PERIOD ..avoid the methheaded lot lizzards, the Bend me over Billy’s and so on .Rest areas aren’t any better. Plan you trip better and park at the shipper or consignee’s lot …..and last tip , get yourself a handgun permit and pack a .45 auto like I carry 24/7 ….Problems solved ….on BTW I’ve been trucking for over 25 years. I’ve seen it all
I been doing it for 30 years and have not seen it all nor do I think you have seen it all
Ya people who know it all and seen it all normally haven’t done either
Sometimes at certain truck stops and where you have to park it’s best to pull in are you may not have any fuel left because you had to park in an area that can’t be seen and the one beside you has free access to your right side fuel tank and you wake up the next morning and have no fuel left and you know that you got fuel before you parked and don’t say it doesn’t happen cause I know it does
I have a consealed carry permit. (License). How can I carry gun in truck? State DMV and DOT said no way in America.
There is no law that says you can not carry in a cmv you have to abide by the laws of the state your in on how to carry your firearm
There is no law that says you can not carry in a CMV except for local state laws. I’m not going to tell anyone to ignore state laws but that state law isn’t going to protect somehow in sleeper when methhead with a machete breaks into your truck. Stay safe and keep trucking
Idiot,you have not seen it all. Second pulling in nose first has nothing to do with not being able to back up. You still have to back out. It is no different than background ng into a spot. I’ve got 31 years otr.
I blew a 2 inch hole in my sleeper at an attempt to get in my truck
Hi have a permit to carry but some state don’t allow you to
LmaoYou’re absolutely right!
I’ve been driving 14 years and haven’t seen it all and I’m still a rookie. I will always be a rookie. Learning something every day. No, definitely have not seem it all, even if I’m still driving 20 more years.
Parking nose in is smart. Stay humble my friend.
Good luck if you get caught with your handgun in a state that doesn’t honor your permit. You can’t have seen it all in 25 yrs.
That’s a great idea
Obviously the guy isn’t a driver.
Pad lock your loads.
Don’t park on the ends of rows if you can avoid it. Don’t park next to other trucks if you can, break the heard mentality.
I like the ratchet strap idea. That’s pretty slick. I almost always pull nose in just because if I have my ol lady with me we will be rocking the truck it don’t bother me but she feels embarrassed sometimes if she has to walk inside after we’re done. All I can say is shame on a dumbass who tries to break into my truck especially if I’m in there. It’s just like my home at home so I will be splitting there dome with an axe I carry JUST FOR THIS. Sure I’ll have alot of blood and brain matter to clean up but damnit I woke up and he was inside my domain. I felt like my life was in danger and I’m not responsible for my actions for the first few to ten seconds after being woken up.
All I got to say is”there is nothing in this truck worth getting your cap peeled over” if you need money get it the old fashion way…. WORK FOR IT…. I know I know thats a 4 letter word.
LMAO ??
Ballpeen hammer works good and easy to replace
What kind of trucker are you automatic. Truck driver bunch of jerks
Shut loser you work for Swift
Best tips i have heard from anyone, especially the door straps for keeping door shut….fantastic
Protection it’s Called Concellied Carry.
Awesome!! 3 excellent tips that weren’t mentioned at all in the article!! Typical steering wheel holder.
Reviews aren’t always helpful, because some drivers just want to complain.
I pack break in on me you got thirteen chances to change your mind. And a English bulldog who thinks when we park she owns a ten foot space around the truck and hate anyone to invade her space and wakes me up to check. You can say she pulls guard duty alot
Dont forget to include the lot lizards…women can set up a driver and take advantage of the lonely times a driver can experience on his trip. A lot of these women will team up with a man such as a boyfriend, husband, or other partner to rob the driver. I personally experienced this situation. So let these. Drivers know what’s out there at some of these truck stops.
Female drivers, always pull your curtains, I’ve seen other drivers with binoculars peering into other trucks!!!
I have been out here almost 40 years I have never seen a driver with binoculars looking into another one not saying it doesn’t happen but I just never seen it
Well I have been followed back to my truck twice by other drivers so nothing surprises me??♀️
I think safety stat with self protection I been driving for 50years I seen a lot of changes for most for the worst drivers don’t work with each it’s all about me the hell with you bad bad you have a right to have a weapon to protect yourself President Trump has a bill to sigh for you to carry any state now you have got to be Carey drugs a terrible peop will do anything to get money be safe
The bill never passed.
I liked that you pointed out that you will want to consider looking over your truck form damage before settling down for the night. That is good to know because my cousin wants to start driving a semi-truck. Also, it does seem like a good idea for him to get a very comfortable truck seat as well.
Also pay the fee down a reserved spot and park closer. It’s a tax write-off.
ONLY for O/O and lease operators…NOT company drivers
My bf was a trucker pretty scary out there
When you’re one of the old school drivers that has been out here for 30-plus years like me a good idea is to do what I’m doing. Those old guys taught me to do this. Become a owner operator pay off your truck pay off all your bills work when you want to not because you have to stay at home and sleep in your own bed and play with your wife not yourself.
Female drivers also run your seatbelts through your door hands and lock you komfort lock
Wrong!!!
Never pull into a spot.The spots are designed to be backed into.By pulling in,your trailer sticks out farther into the lanes of travel,creating a hazard.
Also,never except in an emergency,back into the travel lanes.You are creating a problem for other drivers,as well as performing an illegal back.
You wanna fail a DOT road test…THEN BACK INTO TRAFFIC.
I used to park at Truck fuel stops
I noticed how much tired Truckers made mistakes and or New drivers backing in, I now choose Interstate and Highways Rest Stops 90% of the times.
Sorry?! “Get more cameras” is the safety advice for women?! So y’all can watch the rape?!
How about, get a gun with a concealed permit? Virginia allows non-residents to get one online or in person for $65 and covers 9 states. I’d rather have Smith & Weston or Mr Colt snuggled with me IN ADDITION to cameras watching me blow his ass away.
If you can’t carry a gun, Mace, Pepper Spray or even a big dog like a Pitbull would be better security than just some stupid, useless (for immediate physical defense) cameras.
We carry, with permits. In addition to 3 cameras (Falcon Eye) that cost us $600.00 to have nearly 360 degrees surveillance around us. One one each mirror backwards facing & 1 forward facing a move the windshield, mounted outside. Records 24/7 & includes excellent night vision mode. When we’re parked at home, we switch it over to “Motion activated”.
Hel
Heck even carrying a big stick is better protection than just having the events filmed!
It’s really alarming to know that even truck parking lots aren’t too safe anymore for commercial truck drivers. It reminded me of the news last night when it was mentioned that a truck driver lost his control over the brakes and crashed into other vehicles at the parking lot. It might be better if the companies they’re working for will make it mandatory to have the vehicles checked for any repair.
LmaoYou’re absolutely right!
If you have a Ryder truck or trailer you can park at any Ryder shop no one will not bother you ,
Enjoy life. Be worry free. Danger exists everywhere. No masks or seat belt on door handles. I never go to sleep worrying and I never sleep at truck stops, don’t want to risk sleeping next to a faulty air compressor. Thanks to Google earth, with a little patience, I always find a spot to park legally.
I love that this post shared that one of the benefits of installing a dash camera for our trucks is that it increase the security. My brother just bought a truck and he is concerned about theft. I will encourage him to have a dash camera installed.