The world has changed a lot over the last two years. When there were severe limitations on going to stores, more people got used to having orders shipped directly to their homes.
Companies that offered delivery services responded in kind. However, in some cases, getting enough drivers meant hiring people with less training.
Here’s what you should know about the risks on the road from non-CDL drivers.
Certification for a reason
Commercial drivers go through additional training to be safer drivers and learn more about operating a larger vehicle on the road. When companies like Amazon add smaller vehicles to their fleet, they can hire drivers without a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
In addition to the expense of the commercial license, several federal regulations help commercial drivers stay safe on the road. Some companies do not want to deal with the additional red tape, so they add smaller vehicles to their fleet so that they can use non-CDL drivers.
Unrealistic expectations
Making deliveries comes with performance metrics and standards to ensure that packages arrive on time. When drivers face this kind of pressure, there are more temptations to focus on fast delivery rather than safe delivery.
While some businesses are using onboard cameras and monitoring to watch for dangerous behaviors, delivery drivers still take fast corners and look for other shortcuts to meet their deadlines.
Staying safe
There will always be dangerous truck drivers, but the challenge with delivery drivers is driving larger vehicles that can do more damage.
When you share the road with these vehicles, it is critical to give them plenty of space. You may not be able to make them drive safer, but giving them additional room gives you time to react to avoid a crash.