OOIDA discusses steps to take before and after a crash

Sometimes a crash is unavoidable. So what should you do if you find yourself in this unfortunate situation?

“Live From Exit 24” host Mike Matousek and OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh welcomed Jennifer Harris and Gary Wright from the OOIDA Claims Department to explain.

The discussion started with dashcams, which can help prove your side of the story should a crash occur.

“I think they are a great idea because they show exactly what happened,” Wright said. “The dashcam can show who’s innocent. Some insurance companies take some part of the deductible off if the dashcam captures a strike. So it might save you some money in the long run.”

This has led to an increase in the use of forward-facing dashcams, Harris said.

“We definitely are seeing more people use them, and since dashcams came out we’re seeing things change,” Harris said. “The old assumption was when there was a crash involving a truck fingers were pointed at the trucker. Now, they’re being disproved by dash cameras. It’s really helped out a lot.”

Documenting your load with photographs is another preventative measure drivers can take, Pugh said.

“One thing I did when I was driving was that if I loaded something, and it didn’t look right or I wasn’t happy with something, I would take pictures right there,” Pugh said.

A big issue with cargo is securement, and pictures can help drivers prevent a claim, Harris said.

“Ultimately, it’s the driver-carrier’s responsibility to make sure everything is secured properly,” Harris said. “If you have any issues at the shippers, you should take a picture, but also notify them. If you have a broker, you should notify them as well before you leave.”

Knowing your rights and how to handle a claim is critical information for every driver, and that’s where OOIDA’s Claims Department comes in.

“The biggest part of my job is to fight for the rights of truckers,” Harris said. “If they have an issue that might not even merit a claim, I will still help them with it. I’ll call and fight on their behalf.”

So, what questions should a driver ask?

“We get calls where people don’t know what coverage they have or what their insurance is,” Wright said. “Supplemental tow coverage, rental reimbursement and supplemental downtime are what people need to find out that they have. All those eventually will cost the owner-operator money down the line.” LL