Automotive is one of the world’s highest-tech industries, and safety is one of its biggest challenges. It’s no surprise that innovators are stepping up with safety solutions to protect commercial drivers and those who share the road.
Advanced technologies in the automotive industry include telematics, dual-facing dash cameras, pedestrian detection, IoT connectivity, GPS tracking, blind spot protection, automatic emergency breaks, adaptive headlights, and other mobility safety solutions. But as sexy as all that sounds, fleet managers are finding that the adoption of safety technologies brings with it great responsibility — and even unexpected legal consequences.
“You cannot have a set-it-and-forget-it approach,” said Phil Moser, manager of fleet training for Davey Resource Group, Inc., whose company recently signed a contract to install telematics and cameras across its fleet. “Fleets have a responsibility to train drivers on safety strategies, and you need a strong safety culture that secures their buy-in.”
Curtailing distracted driving
Moser, a former police officer who has seen more than his share of accidents, says the No. 1 safety challenge for drivers is distraction. “The use of cellular devices is a top cause of death behind the wheel globally and has surpassed impaired-driving accidents,” he said. “People are addicted to their phones. It’s a major issue.”
Safety challenges are magnified, he adds, by the commercial driver shortage. “We’re putting drivers behind the wheel of an 800,000-pound weapon who are inexperienced and not well trained,” said Moser. “I tell everyone that the best thing you can do to protect yourself on the road is to stay away from big trucks.”
Moser points out that installing telematics to warn drivers of their dangerous behaviors is important, but it’s far from enough. “Technology is great, but if your driver doesn’t know about a four-second following distance — if you haven’t educated them — how are they at fault?”
Moser knows who will be considered at fault — and it’s not just the driver.
“If there’s an accident resulting in civil litigation, everything in your telematics is discoverable,” he said. “The lawyers will find out that you have these devices in your fleet trucks, and they will pull data and study driving behaviors. If they find you’ve been getting alerts from the telematics system and didn’t do anything to correct that driver — wow, just write the check.”
Implementing safety protocols and policies
Danielle Allsbrook, the senior manager of fleet and delivery strategy for SiteOne Landscape Supply, agrees on the importance of driver training. “We are going through a telematics pilot now, looking for the technology platform that delivers the biggest coaching opportunities,” she said. “We need a clear, concise way to dissect our data and guidance on how to correct driver behavior.”
Allsbrook says many fleet managers don’t realize that adding telematics to your vehicles requires adjusting the fleet policy. “We’ve had to tell our people that once we have this camera on — no matter how good of a driver you are for us — we must follow protocol and policy. If the policy says three strikes and you’re out, then we must follow that policy because if we don’t and a big accident happens, we’re done. The safety technology may be amazing, but it can set you up for failure, too.”
The pace of new technology is dizzying, especially for fleet managers managing everything from EV transitions to technician shortages and new regulations. Allsbrook is just beginning to get data in from their new telematics system, and she anticipates the weak spots will be distracted driving and speeding.
“The winners are going to be fleets that leverage technology for tracking and coaching,” said
Allsbrook. “The technology identifies risks, but we are looking for platforms that guide us through what actions we need to take. It has to be simple — no more than three clicks to get what I need.”
