In the past years, the transportation industry has been
one of the first to take advantage of the latest tech innovations and most
drivers, both commercial and personal, enjoy state-of-the-art upgrades that
once seemed too good to be true. Improvements have been made in all aspects of
car quality, but safety
is perhaps the one that changed the most.
From autonomous emergency braking to lane assist
technology and blind-spot detection, modern cars are getting safer. As more and
more countries have pledged to take measures to reduce road fatalities, we can
expect these groundbreaking technologies to become mainstream.
However, there’s one automotive industry where
innovations don’t have the same adoption rate: the trucking industry. Every
year, around 250,000 truck drivers are
involved in crashes and 2% of these crashes result in death. This
makes being a truck driver one of the most dangerous jobs in America.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, most of these accidents are caused by a lack of safety gear, so
it’s important to take extensive measures. At present, there are a number of
initiatives that are set to reduce the rate of truck accidents, such as the
placement of large
video displays on the back of trucks and the use of cameras and
radar sensors. Although these measures are a reason to optimistic, it will
undoubtedly take some time until all trucks are fitted with safety upgrades.
Whether you have a trucking business or you simply own a
personal truck and want to make it safer, these are the essential upgrades you
should invest in:
Mudflaps
If your truck doesn’t have a mud flap by now, you should
get one as soon as possible. As you probably know by now, driving a truck can
take you through some challenging off-road conditions. You will have to pass
areas with a lot of mud and rocks, which not only can ruin the way your truck
looks, but also cause some serious safety issues. A mudflap can prevent
this.
Mudflaps are special vehicle guards that you place behind
the vehicle’s tires to protect it from road debris and certain substances that
can affect it, such as salt and de-icing solutions. They can be made either
from rubber or sheet metal and, because they’re very durable, they will protect
your truck’s mechanical parts for a long time.
Many truck owners buy mud flaps for their decorative
purposes and it’s true that this is a handy additional benefit. By customizing
your mud flap, you can also advertise your business. However, when buying a mud
flap, make sure you choose it for its quality and level of protection, not its
aesthetic appeal because safety should always come first.
Fender flares
Fender
flares are an extension of the truck fender that provides additional
coverage from the debris thrown into the air by the tire. And while it may seem
like fender flares only have an aesthetic purpose – keeping your truck free
from mud and other debris – they actually improve safety as well. When driving
at high speeds unfinished roads, the smallest gravel can seriously damage your
truck if you don’t have a fender. In some US states, installing fender flares
on your truck is required by law, so make sure you check this if you’ve just
bought your truck.
Truck winches
You can never be too prepared for sticky situations.
Literally. When you take your truck off-road, there’s the risk of being stuck
in mud or water, and when that happens, a regular rope or cable won’t do the
trick. This is where a strong truck winch can save
the day.
Truck winches are durable, motorized cables that can
easily pull a truck’s weight from mud and other obstacles so that even the
hardest off-road conditions will become more manageable. Every truck driver
knows just how frustrating it can be to be stuck, with no cell reception to
call a towing service, or waiting for hours until someone comes to help you
out. A good truck winch and help you get out of these sticky situations
yourself so that you don’t have to call the towers. Needless to say, this
accessory pays for itself because it’s much cheaper than having your car towed
long distances. And you won’t be the only one who’ll be grateful. If another
driver gets stuck on the road, you can always use your truck winch to help them
out.
Lightbars
In most cases, the life of a truck driver means
navigating rough terrain for miles and miles, including at night. And while you
may think that your stock lights are enough, many car safety experts argue that
you need advanced lighting solutions to be protected on the road.
Lightbars provide significantly more light, which means
that you will be able to clearly distinguish your surroundings and spot even
the smallest obstacle on the road. When driving late at night on roads with no lighting,
light bars will help you see if the road ahead is damaged and spot pedestrians
and animals from afar. And you’ll never miss the first exit again. Even though
they’re not the most important safety upgrade, light bars can make the
difference between getting home safe and having an accident, which is why every responsible truck driver should consider getting them.