Posted: February 2020
Our roads have never been so busy. In the first quarter of 2019, there were some 276 million vehicles operating on roads throughout the United States. There are 2 million semi-trucks in operation in the U.S, and around 5.6 million semi-trailers.
Semi drivers must meet certain requirements before they can drive. Imagine, absorbing these additional pressures before being eligible to operate on the road.
Learning to drive a semi takes an average of seven weeks, which is not surprising given the very specific challenges of the role. First, they must pass the medical and physical requirements of the job. Secondly, they must obtain a CDL which involves a written and three-part driving test. The candidate will need to know the vehicle is safe to drive by completing a vehicle inspection and explaining the reasons behind it. They will also have to show basic vehicle control by moving the vehicle forward and backward within a defined area. An on-road driving exam will demonstrate the candidate can safely operate the vehicle in various traffic situations like stopping and making left and right turns.
Here at Brigade, we’ve been helping businesses train their drivers by using our tried-and-tested vehicle safety products. These are proving invaluable, especially as a number of safety initiatives are in the process of being introduced to try to prevent road injuries and fatalities.
Backeye®360 does away with cumbersome mirrors in favor of 360 degree cameras, which feed into a single monitor inside the semi cab. It means the driver can see everything outside his vehicle, including cyclists and pedestrians who might otherwise be in a blind spot position.
It’s essential that drivers are taught how to use these systems as more and more fleets adopt this new technology.
Another of our products that are useful for new semi drivers is our Ultrasonic Obstacle Detection sensor system. This clever technology minimizes both vehicle damage and collisions with pedestrians, cyclists or objects and is perfect for road-going commercial vehicles operating in confined spaces or maneuvering at low speed.
Our mission at Brigade is to make our roads safer for everyone and we’re passionate about our growing range of safety products. We work with international, multi-vehicle fleets as well as small to medium businesses. We’re always happy to offer friendly advice so do get in touch with us.
