A Place for Everything

February 13th, 2017

Published by Midwestern Insurance Alliance - www.miains.com

Do you ever feel like you have too much stuff - so much stuff that you have difficulty finding a place to

put it all? I think most people face this challenge. That’s why there are so many temporary storage buildings in every community. Currently, there’s even a television show about finding valuables and antiques in abandoned storage buildings. Apparently, everyone has too much stuff. Some have so much that they just walk away from it all.

As a truck driver you are probably thinking that having too much stuff is not an issue for you, even though you drive thousands of miles each week transporting stuff from one location to another. The “stuff” this Real Life Lesson refers to is everything inside the cab of your truck. You know the stuff that gets in the way when you are trying to set down a cup of coffee or the stuff (manifest, map, contact names and phone numbers, etc.) that seems to never be available when you need it. Believe it or not, besides irritating you, that kind of stuff can hurt you.  Just ask Jeff and his team driver Brady.

Brady was in the sleeper when it happened.  He woke up just as the corner of his plastic CD container hit him above his right eye. The result was a nice two inch laceration that covered the sleeper in blood and gave him an instant headache. Jeff was driving and his injury was a bit more personal and painful. He had just placed a very hot cup of coffee between his legs when it happened and he sustained second degree burns to both thighs. What was the “it” that happened? Does it matter? It’s the preventable consequences that we’re discussing, like getting smacked in the head or scalding your legs with coffee.

REAL LIFE LESSON

The obvious solution to this problem is simple – get rid of the stuff. But there are other things to consider and each is really just common sense.

1. After you have discarded the unnecessary stuff evaluate everything that you must retain. This evaluation is nothing more than considering what damage that stuff could do to the back of your head if it “goes flying” during a hard brake, impact or overturn accident. A small, plastic television can knock you senseless if it hits your head with force.

2. The next step is to secure those items. This includes both when the item is in use and when it is not. Use your imagination or ask other drivers what they have done.  It doesn’t take much effort.

1. Last resort - learn how to duck your head real fast!