With or without load, millions of dollars worth of goods and trucks are virtually reported in Australia per year. Some thieves usually chopped or stripped trucks of parts and salable components while others are actually working in a smuggling ring of selling trucks to other territories or worse, to other countries in the guise of imports. To the chagrin of law enforcement agencies and more so to the truck driver themselves, only a small percentage of these reports are eventually recovered. What’s worst is that this will also lead to truckies losing their job and eventually, increasing claims on truck driver income replacement insurance Australia policies.
With claims heightened, cost of such insurance will also be adversely affected leaving many truckies not qualified for Workcover or workers compensation insurance slumped in the dark. The idea then, is to educate the growing population of truck drivers to address the issue of theft from its roots. Prevention as always better than cure– and to start, the following may help in thwarting thieves from making a victim out of you, your truck or your goods.
Always be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary. Truckies know their route very well. They tend to memorize every corner, pothole, toll bridge and pit stop like the palm of their hands. When something goes amiss, try to reach out to a family member or the rescue team of the company you’re contracting for. It is best that people working around you will be alerted to easily monitor your move or any unfavorable move done against you.
Install state of the art alarm system to your vehicle. We’re not just talking about noisy alarms going off when someone tries to touch your vehicle. This is an alarm system that will make the vehicle impregnable when touched by thieves. This is an alarm that doesn’t only turn off via a key fob but more of being able to type in an access code. Keep in mind that thieves bask in anonymity. They abhor getting other people’s attention. To thwart them, it is also best to put a sticker that the truck is protected with alarm system–but do not mention what type to keep them guessing.
Don’t want your truck to be driven away by a vulture? Then, place a steering wheel lock bar when you disembark. No matter how short a stop will be, it is wise to slide over a lock bar that prevents a thief from turning your car over. It’s simple and easy to use. Not that hard to store in your cab after a stop. It’s cheap, too!
Install a tracking device. Make good use of GPS technology when planning to protect your truck from thieves. If you are lucky, there are some companies who usually offer such services complete with communication system in place to address and dispatch help in times of emergencies. Place a sticker in your vehicle to deter potential intention of thieves.
Truck theft are becoming too common nowadays. Law enforcement agencies in Australia have also noticed a spike in vehicle smuggling in the last 2 years or so. While many of these are covered by insurance, self-employed drivers income for the duration of filing a claim may be highly affected. This somehow leads to financial upheavals as needs of the family and the truckies themselves have to take a backseat. To counter, it is also best to have truck driver income replacement insurance Australia policy to help tide things over. Call our hotline or request a consultation to learn more on how this type of insurance can help.