Trucker Protection...

I am a new driver. I have read and watched many videos about the dangers of driving and some truck stops; thus, I have some questions and assumptions.

I'm assuming it's SUPER important to have a forward-facing camera that can also see my side mirrors to protect me from the four-wheelers who try to bully me on the road. But is there anywhere else I should have them in a Regional company truck? I am considering putting a lawyer on retainer to also protect me criminally just in case some fool dies or is injured after trying to bully me. Do you all think this is a good idea?

Also, I heard that there are people at truck stops who will try to frame you for crimes to blackmail you out of money and other dangers both in and out of the truck. Do you have any tips for avoiding or recognizing these dangers?

1. Theft and Cargo Theft Thieves may target trucks for cargo or personal items left inside the cab.

2. Personal Safety and Assault Truck stops, especially in less secure areas, can be hotspots for robberies or other personal safety risks.

3. Solicitation and Scams Solicitors, sometimes called "lot lizards," may approach truckers, or scammers may try to hustle drivers for money.

4. Parking Lot Accidents With tight spaces and large vehicles maneuvering around, parking lots at truck stops are common areas for accidents, including backing into other vehicles or pedestrian accidents. 5. Fuel Theft Some thieves target trucks at stops to siphon fuel while drivers are sleeping.

6. Sleep Deprivation and Fatigue Poor-quality sleep at truck stops can lead to fatigue, one of the biggest causes of accidents for truckers.

7. Drug Activity Some truck stops may be hotspots for illegal drug activity, which can lead to dangerous situations or encounters.

8. Vehicle Tampering Vandals or thieves may tamper with your truck to disable it, steal parts, or put you at risk when driving.

You are over thinking and ahead of yourself.

In 9 years i have only once had my fuel stolen. Other than that, i have suffered none of which you typed.

You are over thinking and ahead of yourself.

In 9 years i have only once had my fuel stolen. Other than that, i have suffered none of which you typed.

I’ve only had 3 years on the road, not over 9 like Kearsey, but I agree with her comment. Things can happen, but if you just use common sense you will be okay.

And please, don’t give money needlessly to lawyers.

With about 7 years OTR , none of that has ever happened. My forward facing dash cam ended up catching some beautiful sites. Keep to yourself at truck stops and enjoy. Relax, stop looking at very rare horror stories.

Your primary focus right now should be getting your bearings while maneuvering in tight spaces, backing successfully with plenty of G.O.A.L.S.. learning at a comfortable pace, and building your optical/physical endurance for longer driving.

As aforementioned, just keep to yourself and use basic street smarts. The other stuff is a distraction. Just relax, focus, and make smart and safe decisions.

I am a new driver. I have read and watched many videos about the dangers of driving and some truck stops; thus, I have some questions and assumptions.

I'm assuming it's SUPER important to have a forward-facing camera that can also see my side mirrors to protect me from the four-wheelers who try to bully me on the road. But is there anywhere else I should have them in a Regional company truck? I am considering putting a lawyer on retainer to also protect me criminally just in case some fool dies or is injured after trying to bully me. Do you all think this is a good idea?

Also, I heard that there are people at truck stops who will try to frame you for crimes to blackmail you out of money and other dangers both in and out of the truck. Do you have any tips for avoiding or recognizing these dangers?

1. Theft and Cargo Theft Thieves may target trucks for cargo or personal items left inside the cab.

2. Personal Safety and Assault Truck stops, especially in less secure areas, can be hotspots for robberies or other personal safety risks.

3. Solicitation and Scams Solicitors, sometimes called "lot lizards," may approach truckers, or scammers may try to hustle drivers for money.

4. Parking Lot Accidents With tight spaces and large vehicles maneuvering around, parking lots at truck stops are common areas for accidents, including backing into other vehicles or pedestrian accidents. 5. Fuel Theft Some thieves target trucks at stops to siphon fuel while drivers are sleeping.

6. Sleep Deprivation and Fatigue Poor-quality sleep at truck stops can lead to fatigue, one of the biggest causes of accidents for truckers.

7. Drug Activity Some truck stops may be hotspots for illegal drug activity, which can lead to dangerous situations or encounters.

8. Vehicle Tampering Vandals or thieves may tamper with your truck to disable it, steal parts, or put you at risk when driving.

A few notes and observations from personal experience (just over 27 months OTR:

Very rarely are you going to see other vehicles bullying a semi. It's simple math - a 2500 lb vehicle vs 80,000 lb vehicle. Most people are going to be more anxious and intimidated while around a semi than the other way around.

Don't get me wrong, there are going to be people cutting in and out in front of you, but there is no need to be scared. Just slow down, stay back, maintain situational awareness, yield the right of way, and you'll be fine.

As for cameras and lawyers, most companies already have cameras in their trucks. And no need to hire an attorney unless heaven forbid something does happen. Consider this, every state has their own laws and regulations, and an attorney is almost certainly only licensed in the state in which they reside. If I retain a lawyer here in Utah where I live, and then get a ticket or am involved in an accident while driving in Ohio, that attorney is going to be useless to me because he's not licensed to practice in Ohio.

If you suspect someone is trying to commit a crime the best thing to do is call the police.

1. Cargo theft. Keep a good lock on your trailer. Do regular inspections. Park in well-lit areas. When parking back into a stall so your trailer is not easily accessible. Keep your tractor locked. Keep your curtains drawn so people can't look into the cab and see items of value, or whether or not someone is inside. Don't talk to people about what you're hauling or where you're going.

2. Personal safety. Stick to reputable truck stops. Consider parking at the customer if they allow it (often times there are security guards and fencing). When parked you can run your seat belt through the door handle before latching it, so even if they manage to unlock your door it still can't be opened easily.

3. Solicitors. Never experienced it myself. Just tell them you're not interested and walk away. Report them if needed.

4. Accidents. It's possible. Park towards the middle sections - a lot of accidents happen towards the ends where trucks are going around corners. Also back up as much as possible so your front end isn't sticking out into traffic.

5. Fuel theft. Haven't seen it happen yet, but anything is possible. See tips in 1 and 4. Stay in public well-lit areas, park towards the middle. If you see something suspicious say something. Thieves don't like visibility or attention, and I believe most truckers will look out for each other.

6. Sleep. This is one you'll need to figure out on your own as each person is different. I drive reefer and it took a couple of weeks to adjust to the reefer running, but now I love the hum and it helps me sleep better. I recommend avoiding distractions such as TV, gaming, etc. as they can easily cause you to spend more time than expected. Use your 10 hour breaks to get as much sleep as possible. Know your body. I'm a morning/day person. I can drive at night for short periods of time if needed, but longer stretches can become a safety concern. I let my FM know this so they can plan my loads accordingly. It is your responsibility to get the sleep you need, and there is no substitute for it. Caffeine and other stimulants may help you stay awake, but cannot replace sleep.

7. Never seen it. Call the police.

8. Do a proper and thorough pretrip.

Thank you all for your feedback, I will relax and just take it one step at a time as you all suggested.