Large Loss Summary

Over the past several years there have been losses by movers in the Mover’s Choice program that could have easily been preventable. To help all movers improve loss control and safety for their workers and customers we will summarize how the losses occurred and what can be done by movers and Mover’s Choice to help reduce losses

Large Loss #1
A new young driver was sent out for the day to drive a tractor trailer for the first time. On the way to the shipper’s location the trailer becomes separated from the tractor, the driver looses control of the tractor and the trailer crosses the center divide and collides head-on with an oncoming vehicle and seriously injures two occupants and one other is killed.

Again there are couple of simple steps that could have been done to avoid a loss of this nature. First, all inexperienced drivers need to be given proper instruction by a seasoned safe driver on the proper pre-trip inspection procedure. They need to understand how to inspect different types of equipment and need to be properly instructed on when a vehicle is safe and when it is not. Many times pre-trip inspections are done inconsistently or haphazardly. This is even more common on local moves where drivers become complacent on short drives. Proper pre-trip safety inspections is a critical loss control steps to insure the safety of the employees in the vehicle, property of customers belongings, and safety of other drivers on the road.

Second, inexperienced drivers should never be sent out on the road without being given a road test to prove that the new driver is able to safely drive the equipment they will be assigned. Further, all drivers should be tested on equipment they are unfamiliar with. Inexperienced drivers should never be sent out on a shipment without a co-driver until they have proven themselves to be a competent and safe driver. This is especially important in inclement weather. Add rain, ice, or snow to the roadway and it quickly can become dangerous for your employees as well as others that share the road. The proper training of drivers, while not inexpensive, is much less expensive than a large auto loss.

By implementing a couple simple loss control practices and learning from the mistakes of others, millions of dollars in losses can be saved. We encourage all movers to order your trailer safety stickers now. The cost will quickly be realized in just one minor injury, and untold losses can be saved by having safe, qualified, and properly trained drivers on the road. If you need additional information or have any safety questions please contact me at matts@paulhanson.com or 800-852-1968.