Regrading My Land

A truck often has a lot more mass than everyone else on the road. This means that it can often take you longer to stop when you're driving one. Fortunately, there are technologies that those who drive trucks and those who employ drivers can use to help truck drivers stop in time.

The lack of adequate safety systems in trucks is showing in the statistics. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 3,802 larger trucks were involved in crashes with fatalities in 2012. This was a 5 percent increase from the previous year. This is also likely due to an increased amount of mileage vehicles undertake which moved up by 3 percent in 2012.

The good news is that this rising trend of travel and subsequent accidents has an answer. New safety technologies will likely help to radically decrease accidents among those that use them.

Radar Alerts

Some trucking company owners are now using radar in individual trucks in connection with an alert system. The radar will sound if the driver is getting too close to a vehicle in front of them. By using a series of cameras and computers onboard a big truck, the system can tell when a driver's current rate of speed and angle will take him to close to a car in any lane.

By being able to predict this well ahead of time, the system can give the human driver enough time to alter their behavior and avoid rear-ending anyone.

Passive Automated Systems

If the radar alerts from the camera system on trucks don't get the human driver to change in time, some additional systems can take further measures. Some trucks have systems that will just automatically cut the engine in the driver's truck in order to reduce speed for them. This can help to avoid an accident all by itself. The automated systems can also engage the brakes without the driver even doing anything if the situation is dangerous enough. Many proponents of these systems insist that it's much safer to have the systems installed then for a driver to go without them.

When a smaller vehicle hits a truck from behind, damage might occur, but because of the differential in mass, a large heavy duty truck that hits a much smaller can often inflict massive damage. This is exactly why safety systems are needed to avoid front-end collisions. Contact a truck equipment company like Koenig Body & Equipment Inc today for more information.