Inventor says ReeferShield can save refrigerated fleets money
Longtime refrigerated truck driver John Hadley says his ReeferShield invention can help protect and secure a trailer’s transport refrigeration unit (TRU), potentially reducing debris-related crashes and saving the industry money.
ReeferShield consists of a system of straps and pads that secure any reefer unit door effectively. The system still allows for easy access to the reefer unit, Hadley says, and the pads counter vibration, further securing the door. The protective padding also bears reflective banding for greater visibility and safety at night.
“Financially, even a non-fatal debris-related crash involving injury or even just significant property damage can be devastating from a liability and insurance premium perspective,” Hadley said in a release. “As for fatal incidents, the average cost paid out to the damaged party is over $3 million. As well, when a reefer unit is out of commission, so is its trailer, and leaving those expensive items idle is very costly.
“Moreover, the significant costs and insurance implications of climate-sensitive cargo is yet another area of financial risk associated with damaged reefer unit doors and panels.”
In the United States alone, Hadley says, the menace of debris-related crashes causes more than 50,000 accidents, 10,000 injuries and 125 fatalities per year. Moreover, the annual financial costs of side-impact collisions amount to more than $40 billion. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety defines debris-related crashes as “crashes in which a vehicle struck or was struck by an object that fell or became detached from another vehicle, struck a non-fixed object on the roadway, or crashed after swerving to avoid an object on the roadway.”
The Indiana native says he developed ReeferShield as a practical solution to the challenges reefer truck drivers face. He also says he successfully installed and deployed the patent-pending prototype on the door of a reefer unit he hauled across the country, with noticeable improvements in security and safety.
To learn more about the potential benefits of ReeferShield, or to contact Hadley, visit reefershield.com.
