Safety for women drivers has a long way to go

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Woman trucker
Vnomics

Gas stations have a reputation for being dangerous, especially for women. Women, perceived as more vulnerable, are likelier than men to experience carjacking, robbery and sexual crimes. Around 63,000 violent crimes happen at U.S. gas stations every year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice, and FBI statistics from 2022 show that 4.5% of all reported violent crime occurred at gas stations and convenience stores.

So imagine being a woman at a truck stop, where valuable cargo is now in the mix.

Truck drivers in general contend with the potential for accidents like being run over in the fuel isle or being a target for theft. But a woman truck driver is at risk for that and more.

I remember my grandfather carried a tiny revolver (I don’t know the technical name) on the road with him. My mother said the No.1 reason she came off the road as a woman trucker was safety. That was over a decade ago, and crime at truck stops continues to rise. I, on multiple occasions, have been the subject of a men’s lewd comments while pumping gas.

In an industry that has increasingly turned to the female population to fill seats, it is becoming ever more important to not just make them safe but to make them FEEL safe while over the road.

Trucker Path and American Trucking Associations’ Women In Motion recently partnered to address the safety of professional women drivers. After speaking with several drivers, they identified seven truck stop amenities as a necessity to ensure safety while at a truck stop: lighted parking, lighted bathroom access, lighted lounge area, lighted shower facilities with 24/7 access, lighted laundry facilities with 24/7 access, 24/7 security present on site and 24/7 maintenance available.

[RELATED: Safe truck parking availability critical to retain women truck drivers]

According to the National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO), there are more than 40,000 truck stops (defined as a location with at least 15 parking spaces, a shower and diesel for sale) in the United States and Canada. According to data from Trucker Path, 320 U.S. truck stops qualify as having at least one of those seven amenities.

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• 305 (95.6%) have lighted parking

• 165 (51.7%) have lighted bathroom access

• 131 (41.1%) have lighted lounge area

• 76 (23.8%) have lighted shower facilities with 24/7 access

• 67 (21%) have 24/7 security present onsite

• 60 (18.8%) have lighted laundry facilities with 24/7 access

• 55 (17.2%) have 24/7 maintenance available

Only 14 have all seven.

Just like with women’s rights, safety measures for women truck drivers have come a long way; but they have a long way to go.

Angel Coker Jones is a senior editor of Commercial Carrier Journal, covering the technology, safety and business segments. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and kayaking, horseback riding, foraging for medicinal plants and napping. She also enjoys traveling to new places to try local food, beer and wine. Reach her at [email protected].