Defensive Driving Lessons From a $375,000 Rental Truck Crash
A work-truck driver going 10 mph over the limit hit a car in an intersection, and medical bills topped $375,000. Keep reading for what happened and how to train your own delivery crew.
Most of us worry about the jump, the stake, the blower cord. But for a lot of rental companies, the riskiest part of the job is the drive to the party.
ARA’s Rental Management shared a real claim story from ARA Insurance, written by Brock Huffstutler. It’s a good one to read with your crew. The full story is at Rental Management.
What happened
A work truck driver was going over the limit in a 35 mph zone and tried to make it through a light that was changing. He braked too late and hit a car that was turning left.
The medical costs came to about $375,000 between the people involved. The case settled out of court, and the article says a jury would likely have put most of the blame on the speeding truck driver.
That’s the part that stings. A few miles per hour over the limit… and suddenly the business is on the hook.
What ARA suggests
The article points to training and regular reminders: spot risks early, adjust to conditions and make the safe call before you’re in trouble. It also calls out the extra danger of larger fleet vehicles, which take longer to stop.
ARA offers a Defensive Driving Program through its RentalU training site. It’s free for ARA Insurance customers.
Why this matters for rental owners
Your delivery truck or box trailer is out on the road every weekend, often with a young driver, a tight setup window and a full load of tents or inflatables.
A heavy trailer adds stopping distance, and running late makes people push yellow lights. Talk about speed and intersections at your next crew meeting, and make it clear that showing up five minutes late beats showing up in a police report.
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Read the full article, Reducing risk behind the wheel, at ARA / Rental Management.
