For those not familiar with the event involving Jason Rivenburg on March 4, 2009, here is a brief overview. After leaving home and making his first stop in Virginia, he headed for delivery to South Carolina. Being ahead of schedule he pulled into an abandoned gas station he had heard was safe to park for the night. That night he was robbed for $7.00 and as a consequence of a criminal’s wrongdoing, was murdered. The law being added to the Highway Bill in his name (Jason’s Law) is aimed at providing more safe parking for those of us who live our lives on the road. The lack of safe parking was a contributing factor to the decision that would lead to Jason losing his life at someone else's hand by having to park in an unsecured location.
As with any new law or regulation, much planning and reviewing must be done before actual action is taken. Since the bill passed the house, it has been slow going and many are wondering what actual steps are being done to make it safer out there for truckers. I know in my home state of California, especially the Los Angeles area, the “legal” parking areas are extremely
limited. If you do find a place you won’t be ticketed to park in, you risk getting broken into, or at the least may wake up with an involuntary “mural” painted on the side of your truck or trailer.
Some steps I have always taken are to spot trouble early, remain visible, treat every load as if it “high-value”, question every situation, and treat my truck as a secure fortress. It is important to always keep a watchful eye out while driving. Try to keep watch for suspicious people or suspicious vehicles that may be trailing you or loitering around where you are at. Refuse to park in an unsafe area, despite the consequences. This is a personal recommendation I make based on weighing the options; I would much rather explain to a judge on a ticket that I feared for my safety and needed to find a safe, well-lit parking rather than experience something like the tragic case of Jason Rivenburg. Even though we know what we are hauling, it may be a guessing game for a would-be thief. Always make sure if you are pulling a box to lock
it up! I happen to carry two locks; one for each door. As easy as it would be to break through the locks, if offered the option, most criminals will go for an easier target that may not be as secured. Do not talk about your freight or mention where you are delivering it to. The less information someone has about your load, the less likely it is to become a target. Once parked in a secure location, be sure to lock all doors. When away from your truck, secure all entry points. You do not necessarily have to be a hermit, since a lot of truck stops now have workout gyms, laundry facilities, restaurants, and entertainment areas. Special straps can also now be purchased that will tie your doors together from the inside, which make it impossible to be opened without breaking window from the outside while inside. The rule of thumb is to be aware of the state of your truck even when away from it!
I offer my sincere condolences and prayers to the wife, children, and family of Jason Rivenburg, who now have to go on without Jason due in part to the lack of safe parking available to those of us out there who drive for a living. His children have to now go on without their father, when all he was trying to do was provide them a better life through his honest, hard work as a trucker. As a father to a young daughter, thoughts of returning home to my family safely always weigh heavy on my mind. We can only hope that Jason’s Law will see action soon in helping to make the roads we call our office a safer place to conduct business.
Stay safe out there!