At this time of year, many homeowners in Hollywood and across South Florida decide to take on some renovation projects. Whether you’re building a deck, setting up a barbecue area, or renovating the interior of your home, you may be tempted to rent a truck to haul building materials from your local lumberyard or home hardware store. In fact, many big-box hardware stores and home renovation stores allow you to rent a cube van or truck for a few hours (0r longer) to get your purchases home.
There’s only one problem: truck accidents in Hollywood and across South Florida are very common. They may be even more of a risk for you if delivery trucks you rent aren’t properly maintained or if you’re not used to driving a truck. If you’re renovating this summer, here are a few things to keep in mind if you need to rent a larger vehicle:
1) Consider letting someone else do the driving.
Consider having equipment and materials delivered rather than driving a truck yourself. A professional delivery driver has driven understands exactly how to drive safely through South Florida streets. If you are transporting very large materials or lots of cargo, especially, leaving it to someone else may be the safest route.
2) If you must rent a truck for your renovation, use extra caution.
Take a less busy route home and give yourself some time to get used to the truck. Rent a truck for more hours than you think you need so you can drive slowly and carefully. Check the truck over before you hop inside and report any issues to the rental agency or business. Insist on getting another, safer truck if you notice any potential mechanical problems with the vehicle.
3) Be careful when loading your truck.
If you do rent a truck or use a friend’s vehicle to transport building materials home, use extra caution to secure those building materials into the cab of the truck correctly. If those items shift or fall out of the back of your truck, it could cause a car accident for the person behind you or it could cause you to lose control of the vehicle. Always bring something to tie down your purchases securely. If anything sticks out of the back of the truck, make sure there is a highly visible tag on the back to alert other drivers of your oversized cargo. When loading and unloading the truck, use a dolly and ramp and get assistance if an item is too heavy. You don’t want to drop something on yourself or strain your muscles.
If you have been injured by rental truck, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation. Our legal team has more than six decades of combined experience across southern Florida and would be pleased to offer you a free case evaluation.