Women in Trucking - A Woman's Perspective

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With the economy worsening, the high cost of heating fuel and gas, and no relief in sight, hijackings, muggings and personal crimes are happening with more frequency. Recently, a male driver was kidnapped and his trailer and load were stolen while he was left bound in the truck. The load was recovered quickly and one of the bad guys was caught. Could this happen to you lady driver? Yes, it could, if you are not careful.

As women, we have to be a bit more cautious with our personal safety than our brother drivers. Criminals perceive women as easier marks than men and so will target women more frequently if possible. So how does a busy lady driver protect herself?

Your demeanor plays a big part. You should walk tall, with your head up, watching your surroundings. Do not dawdle along with your shoulders slumped and looking at the ground. Confidence shows clearly in your stride.

Appearances can also "mark" you. If you wear all sorts of expensive looking jewelry (even if it's fake) carry a purse that can be snatched easily, wear shoes that you cannot run in, or clothes that are revealing, you are asking for trouble. A couple of years ago, in a truck stop parking lot in the early evening, a lady driver was beaten and robbed of her cubic zirconium rings. No other harm came to her and nothing else was stolen, so it would follow that it was the "diamond" rings that attracted her attackers.

Everything has street value, even a load of toilet paper. So never, never, never discuss your load with anyone other than your dispatchers. Some chemicals in the products you're hauling can be used to make methamphetamine or explosives. Watch your mirrors when you leave your shipper to see if you are being followed, do not stop for the first 150 miles or so, and park in well lit places.

Do not get your money from cash advances or the ATM and then go to your truck unless you are on the fuel island, or are leaving right away. Many bad guys will watch and wait to see who has gotten cash and then either follow them to their truck or break in after the driver is asleep. An easy way to protect your truck while you sleep is to run your seat belts through the door handles and hook them. This way, no one can open the doors with a master key nor will they break in quietly.

Many women talk about pepper spray, mace or even carrying a gun. Carrying a gun across state lines is illegal even if you have a permit, and many companies have policies prohibiting the carrying of firearms. Most women I know could not shoot anyone anyway and waving a gun around isn't going to do much other than getting the waver hurt. Mace and/or pepper spray is also illegal to carry in some states. And neither works on everyone. Some women carry hair spray, perfume atomizers, or other things that can be used as a weapon in an encounter. One woman I know of says she carries a type of wasp spray that can shoot 10 feet.

The best weapon you have though is your brain. Think about where you are going to park before you start your day so you can park in safer truck stops. Preplan your trips so you do not have to go into major urban areas during peak crime times (4 p.m. to 3 a.m.)-even the bad guys sleep. Don't walk around the parking lots of unlit truck stops or warehouses at night.

Always be aware of what is going on around you. If there are cars where there shouldn't be, then watch them and make sure that they are not also a potential threat to you. Carry your cell phone with you at all times and if at any time you feel seriously threatened or at risk of violence, call 911. It is better to have the police come out and find that it was a false alarm than have them come out after you have been injured.

Our personal safety is just that, personal. It is not up to anyone else to keep us safe while we are out on the road-it is up to us. By using some common sense, carefully preplanning your trips, and keeping your wits around you, you will radically reduce the odds of becoming a victim of violence.

Ya'll be safe out there!