When it’s a busy day work-wise and the calls are coming in left and right, it might seem like there’s no time for pre-trip vehicle inspections of the tow trucks. But pre-trip inspections are an absolute must to ensure the safety of not only your drivers but other people on the roads. It’s a good idea to find any issues with the tow truck or wrecker before it hits the road rather than after.
Doing pre-trip inspections can help you find problems before they put anyone in danger. This helps you avoid claims, which in turn helps you keep your tow truck insurance premium down. Remember, claims count against you when it comes to your insurance because the more claims you have, the more of a risk you are. And insurance companies aren’t crazy about risk, so they’ll probably make you pay more for your insurance. Or they’ll decide to not renew your policy. Neither of those are good options.
Some things that you need to look out for while doing your inspection…
Check these things…
- Steering
- Transmission
- Engine
- Tires
- Brakes – these are very important!
The cab:
Clean up the cab of your tow truck. You don’t need to have abandoned water bottles and so on rattling around, potentially getting in the way. Besides, if your dash is cluttered, the defrosters might not work very well.
Lights/Reflectors:
Make sure that all of your lights and your reflectors are working properly. Are they obstructed at all by dust or dirt? Clean them off. Be sure to replace any reflectors that need to be replaced.
Tires/Wheels:
The lug nuts on the wheels need to be secured. You don’t want one to pop off as you’re driving. Check for any signs of rust, and make sure that your tires and wheels are up to the task of towing vehicles.
Safety belt:
How does your safety belt look? It needs to be in good shape so it can do its job. Make sure there’s no wear and tear on your seatbelt, and make sure that you can buckle and unbuckle it easily. And, of course, make sure you wear it. Seat belts are important.
Emergency supplies:
Ideally, you’d have an emergency kit in your truck for, well, emergencies. Does anything need to be replaced? Do you have things like fuses and circuit breakers? Do you have your hazard triangles? What about a fire extinguisher? Make sure you’ve got the emergency supplies you need just in case there’s a situation.
Take the time to check over your tow truck before hitting the road. It’s essential that you catch and problems before they become a hazard. Your truck is a machine, and machines have to be in proper working order so that they can get the job done safely. Besides, your tow trucks work hard. It can’t hurt to give them a check up before asking them to haul cars.
And remember that the trick is to avoid and prevent claims on your insurance. We know how tough tow truck insurance has gotten lately, so you need to do everything you can to protect your insurance rates. And that might mean taking some time before each trip to do a pre-vehicle inspection and fill out the proper paperwork. Don’t skip the inspection.
We can help you save on your tow truck insurance. If you want to get three free quotes and get the best tow truck insurance out there, just fill out our form or give us a call today.
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