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The trucking space looks attractive in 2021, given its stable economic position with more than 70 percent of goods consumed in the U.S. moving by truck, consistent job growth expectancy, and the promises made to boost infrastructure spending in the United States.

Many people who drive for work are continuing to leave their homes to ensure that essential supplies and services reach those in need during this difficult time. Unfortunately, trucker fatalities have been on the rise for a number of years, and with a higher demand being put on fleets during the current crisis we are facing globally, the use-case for safety suites has continued to spread. Now customers are demanding OEMs offer safety systems, or they may take their business elsewhere.

ADAS, or Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems, are developing rapidly and in several stages. ADAS is not autonomy; by definition, it is Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems while autonomous vehicles have systems that are designed to completely control a vehicle in most or all situations.

Advancements in the Adoption of Proximity Detection Systems

PRECO Electronics® has seen advancements in a few ways. The adoption of proximity detection systems has been one of the most prominent trends to date. Proximity detection is a solution born of the intention of bolstering the safe operation of machines – designed to improve operator awareness through identifying objects and/or people in dangerous blind spots.

As fleets continue to grow, effective safety solutions that are easy to operate and built to retrofit are integral to preventing incidents and minimizing downtime — all essential for the management, safety, and maintenance of fleets. Not only in terms of keeping both the public and drivers safe, but also in terms of controlling costs related to insurance and liability, unplanned downtime, and maintenance. Furthermore, improved fleet safety can lead to increased driver efficiency, return on investment, and higher overall productivity. All of which depend on the installed system and your fleet service technicians.

On Sunday, November 10^th, the Idaho Statesmen published, “Cars overtaking bikes big cause of cyclist deaths,” a story detailing the growing safety concerns for vehicles overtaking cyclists. According to the author, David Lightman, in 2017, 806 cyclists died in incidents with vehicles nationwide, and in 2018 the death toll jumped to 857. “Three cyclists died in crashes with motor vehicles in Idaho in 2017, according to the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD). Also that year, a cyclist was injured in a crash every 40 hours ITD said,” Lightman wrote in his article.

In Part 1: An Increasingly Distracted World, you were asked to confront your ‘familiarity’ with your environments. A familiarity may cause any one of us to relax and lower our defenses while working with or around heavy-duty machinery. Reflecting on these three questions can help peel back the layers:

Sharing the roadways with buses, delivery trucks, large commercial vehicles, and more are members of the traveling public as they go about their daily routines. Regardless of the mode of transportation, being safe on the road is a responsibility shared by all.

From a cost versus benefit perspective, it is understood that value must justify the cost for leadership buy-in. These decisions are made regardless of the underlying motivation, which has consistently caused a disconnect between the safety technology industry and adoption.

You’ve just invested a large sum of money on a new piece of equipment, and now you have to consider paying out more for optional safety equipment. That follow-on purchase can be a hard pill to swallow, but there are some very good reasons to take your medicine.