It’s the season of bumps and chills. While these can be fun when it comes to spooky stories, horror movies, and trick-or-treat, they’re not so good when it comes to your truck. It’s important that you keep yourself safe on the road and keep your vehicle in top shape. Let’s look at the bumps in your truck that you should pay attention to.

Dark and Bumpy Nights

Truckers grow accustomed to sounds on the road. From the hum of your engine, wind through your window, and the tires on the pavement, you’re constantly surrounded by the noise of the open road. As you’re on the road, pay careful attention to the sounds around you, especially at night when your vision is limited to your headlights. A bump on the open road could indicate hazards like,

• Uneven or cracked pavement
• Open potholes
• Objects on the roadway
• Animal struck on the road

If you experience an unexpected bump on the road, it’s important to check your vehicle as soon as possible for potential damage. While small debris or bumps aren’t a problem, larger items, holes, or animals can cause damage to your tires, wheels, or undercarriage.

The Bump Came from Inside the Truck

Bumps and thumps don’t just come from the road. They can come from the truck itself and indicate a possible mechanical problem. If you hear sounds coming from your engine or around the truck or trailer itself, you should pull over and check for problems right away. Those sounds could indicate problems such as,

• Broken hose or belts
• Lost tire tread
• Engine components coming apart

You know your truck and how it sounds when running well. If anything seems off about how your truck is running, check it as soon as possible for your safety and the safety of other drivers on the road with you.

Mysterious Knocks and Voices

We’ve talked before about how important it is for truckers to have a safe place to park at night. It’s not just about ensuring you are able to get the rest you need for long hauls – though that is extremely important. It’s also about the safety of you and your truck when you’re getting needed rest. It may be tempting to pull onto the side of the road or into an empty parking lot, but these locations can be dangerous. The side of the road may have debris that can damage your vehicle, while an empty and dark lot could leave you open to thieves.

When possible, make use of a truck stop and rest areas designated for trucks. While not ideal, in many areas stores with large lots often make the empty lots available to trucks and campers at night. All these areas are likely to have other truckers and plenty of people around.

It’s still important to stay alert, even with other truckers around. Remember, with the noise of idling engines, auxiliary power units, and other equipment, it can be harder to identify strange sounds. Don’t let your guard down just because people are around or let the noises around you dull your senses. Stay alert for the kinds of thumps and bumps that could indicate someone stepping onto your cab or attempting to open doors or tamper with your truck.

When you leave your vehicle, stay alert to your surroundings and the people around you. At night, keep a flashlight on hand and don’t move between vehicles where you could be cornered. Importantly, if you spot someone lurking around your truck or around other trucks, contact the police or notify security at the truck stop. Don’t confront them, but do alert other truckers around you to the possible danger.

Your Partner on the Road

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