Every fleet manager wants to improve driver safety and make roads safer. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems allow them to achieve that goal, providing coaching for drivers that eliminates dangerous habits and reduces risks for fleets.
It’s an important issue for fleets as the number of fatalities from accidents involving large trucks has increased 46% since 2009. The latest figures show that almost 900 large vehicle occupants died in a crash in 2018, while the number of injuries reached 150,000.
Those numbers make Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and driver training a priority for fleet managers.
Telematics-Driven ADAS Systems
Telematics involves the use of software programs and connected devices to create systems that improve fleet effectiveness and efficiency. They also work well in providing an environment that promotes safe driving and reduces risk.
With ADAS, fleet managers reach a new level of control for risk management, one of the most important areas in successful fleets. They do so by offering a wide variety of systems that accomplish different goals. They include the following.
Real-Time Driver Alerts
Coupled with a dash camera, an ADAS system can monitor a driver’s behavior. One of the biggest areas of risk management is reducing driver distraction. An ADAS system will alert drivers if they become distracted, such as when they get on their phone, smoke or become drowsy.
These systems also alert drivers when they engage in unsafe driving, including taking corners too quickly, fast acceleration or abrupt braking. Those with outward-facing cameras can also alert drivers when they are too close to other vehicles. Alerts include lane departure warnings, blind spot monitoring, and forward video monitoring that is helpful in assessing what caused an accident.
Automated Systems and Adaptive Systems
An adaptive system can make small adjustments that help vehicles avoid accidents. This includes systems that monitor the distances between vehicles and adjust speed to maintain the safest distance. An automated system can take over driving in the case of an emergency, such as alerting the driver when a crash is imminent and automatically applying the brakes to avoid a collision.
Driver Coaching
This is where ADAS systems can really help reduce risk in the long-term. Telematics systems, in addition to alerting drivers of situations in real-time, can also look at the data from a driver’s record and recommend training that will help them improve. Some systems can even send drivers short training videos that address an area where they have had frequent issues. Used correctly, an ADAS system can augment a fleet’s training programs for drivers, helping them to improve performance and avoid taking risks on the road. That’s good news not only for drivers and fleets, but also for the public.
