Even if you take great care of your big rig, unexpected mechanical failure can still occur. If your big rig breaks down when you are out on the road, you need to know how to effectively handle a malfunctioning vehicle in a safe manner before you find that situation.
Turn on Your Flashers
As soon as you realize that something is wrong with your vehicle, turn the flashers on your vehicle on. This will help alert the other drivers around you that something is wrong with your vehicle. If you can, start slowing down as well. Your brake lights, combined with the flashers, should warn other vehicles around you to give you some space.
Find a Wide Pullover Spot
Next, start looking for a wide pullover spot. Look for an area where you will have space to pull over and space to work on your vehicle, if possible. You can even get on your radio and ask your fellow truck drivers where to pull over if you are not familiar with the area.
When you spot a place to pull over, try to ease slowly off the road, and avoid making a hard turn. This will help keep everyone safe.
Set Up Flares
Once you pull off the road, you still need to make sure your vehicle is visible to approaching traffic, especially since you will be outside looking at your vehicle and trying to figure out what went wrong.
Keep your flashers on and get out your flares and triangles. Set them out at intervals far away from your truck and then getting closer so people have time to slow down as they approach your truck.
You may also want to tilt open the hood, regardless of if that is where you think the issue is. An open hood is usually a good indication to others that you are working on your truck and need some time and space to do so.
Check Out Your Vehicle
Once everything is safe, get out and see if you can figure out what the issue is that caused your vehicle to malfunction. Having some idea of where the issue originated from or what happened can help you fix the issue yourself or get the right help.
Call into Dispatch
After checking out your vehicle, it is time to call into dispatch if you work for a company. They should be able to find a mobile truck repair shop near your location that can come out and help you. If you don't work for a company, call your roadside assistance program that you are signed up with for your big rig. Let them know what you think the issue is and where you are located so that they can get help to you.
Even well-taken-care-of big rigs sometimes experience unexpected issues. Your job when your truck malfunctions on the road is to get your vehicle safely off the road without causing any accidents or additional issues, then getting the help you need fixing up your vehicle. There are mobile truck repair businesses all around the country who will be happy to come out to your rig and get it started again.
For more information, reach out to a shop that performs semitruck repair services.
Share4 June 2019
The cars, trucks, vans and SUVs that we rely on each day all require us to take care of them. If we were to drive our vehicles every day without thinking about what they need every so often, they would quickly die and need to be repaired or replaced much more often than they should. Our blog is all about taking care of and maintaining vehicles of all kinds. You will learn what you need to do to keep your vehicle running as it should and tips for learning when your vehicle is in need of repair before it strands you along the road.
