Now, wireless tracking solution providers are enabling companies to accurately monitor and improve driver safety, writes Gary Jos? Chandy.

Vehicle-related accidents are a key risk for many Indian industries, especially within the construction, manufacturing, oil and mining sectors. While these risks can?t be reduced completely, operators are becoming increasingly aware of the positive impact technology can have in protecting one of their most important assets: their drivers. By employing best-practice driver monitoring systems and implementing innovative safety measures and training programmes, organisations can minimise the risk of accidents and enhance the safety of their drivers.

There are a diverse range of circumstances and physical factors that have been shown to increase the risk of incidents for long-haul drivers. While there are many variables that are impossible to avoid entirely in such a demanding industry, there are steps organisations can take to reduce the severity and risk of accidents. Defining, researching and understanding the more common types of incidents that are occurring is instrumental for organisations looking to safeguard their drivers.

There is a higher risk for long-haul drivers, who are often exposed to variables such as adverse weather conditions, sunset and sunrise driving, driver fatigue and changing road conditions, due to operating over extended periods of time. Any technology which can assist organisations in monitoring and reducing the impact of these conditions should be considered as a meaningful and worthwhile investment.

Driver error is widely accepted to be the biggest cause of accidents, with a number of studies typically placing the role of driver error in all crashes at about 80 per cent. Organisations should determine what kinds of driver errors are resulting in the majority of accidents, so systems can be put in place to proactively avoid these mistakes and ultimately reduce the number of accidents and fatalities.

According to a Crashworthiness Data System study, the three major forms of driver inattention and their relative percentage involvement in crashes were:

? Distraction (which accounted for 13.2 per cent of accidents);
? Driver looked but did not see (which accounted for 9.7 per cent of accidents);
? Driver was sleepy/fell asleep whilst driving (which accounted for 2.6 per cent of accidents).

HSE requirements

Health and Safety Environment (HSE) requirements have been established to enhance driver safety, for example, avoiding travel after sunset and before sunrise, taking mandatory minimum break times after a fixed duration of continuous driving, allowing a maximum of ten hours of total driving time per day and no driving allowed between the high risk fatigue hours of 2 am and 6 am.

Companies that are highly focused on developing safer driver performance by following HSE guidelines are taking proactive measures to minimise accidents and are enhancing driver safety by utilising wireless tracking technology to comply with these guidelines.

Wireless monitoring solutions in long-haul vehicles allow a number of different variables that can contribute to serious road incidences and errors to be monitored, including: speeding, seatbelt usage, fatigue variables and harsh-braking. Through Digi?s tracking technology all tracking information can be sent to a central server - different users can log in with usernames and passwords to monitor their respective fleets. Update frequencies can be set at different time intervals, from one minute to 15. Larger times can optimise the amount of packet data transmitted each time. These tracking systems are able to provide customisation of curfew alerts based on time, duration and distance.

Monitoring speeding

Speed is another huge factor contributing to accidents on the road. However, without the right monitoring equipment and systems in place, organisations cannot meaningfully analyse and use the information gathered.

Wireless technologies allow speed to be tracked and updates and alarms to be sent to a central server. Tracking systems also allow operators to customise pre-set speed limits based on the local legal restrictions, the type of vehicle being driven and also specific speed restrictions within hazardous areas or refineries, etc. A speeding report can then be created for each journey and if there is information to suggest that a driver is constantly speeding or increasing / decreasing their speed erratically, the control centre can alert the necessary department and appropriate measures can be taken to discipline and train the driver involved.

Monitoring seat belt usage

Studies have shown that wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of fatal injury by 45 per cent in passenger cars. That number increases to 60 per cent for pickups due to their likelihood of rolling over in a crash. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, in 2011 one out of every two pickup truck drivers killed in a traffic crash was not buckled up. These figures highlight the importance of monitoring and educating drivers about this simple, but effective safety measure.

Organisations should be using tracking technology to accurately monitor when and how often drivers are or aren?t using their seat-belts. Technology, such as Digi?s wireless tracking system, creates automatic reports that let the organisation know whether seat belts are being used appropriately or not. Once organisations have this information they can then implement training programmes and incentivise increased usage of this important safety device.

Monitoring fatigue levels

Fatigue is a major cause of road accidents, with some surveys suggesting 50 per cent of accidents are related to driver fatigue. According to the Australian Work Cover Authority, fatigue influences an individual?s physical, mental and emotional state and when feeling fatigued, we lose alertness, which is accompanied by poor judgment, slower reactions to events and decreased motor skills.

Therefore, to minimise the likelihood of accidents, it is imperative that drivers aren?t tired while they are working, as it has a severe impact on their ability to safely control their vehicle. It is crucial that drivers take breaks and limit driving time, as these factors can have a huge influence on driver fatigue. Tracking applications allow companies to know when drivers are on the road, and when they are taking breaks and to ensure that drivers are sticking to the guidelines that are in place around these practices.

Driver grading

A driver grading system can be a key way to reward and encourage safe driving, and assess all of the above elements. For example, Digi?s wireless monitoring system provides a Driver Performance Summary Report, which measures individual compliance and performance of drivers to HSE norms. The parameters of the individual variables being monitored are typically defined by HSE guidelines. These variables can include, but are not limited to: speeding, harsh acceleration, harsh braking, seat belt usage, and usage of headlights. Drivers are rated as green, amber or red across these categories; with green indicating the driver is operating within the parameters and red signalling non-compliance.

This tool is crucial in understanding the patterns and areas of improvement needed across both small and large fleets of long-haul drivers. By being able to easily access and monitor where drivers are most in need of improvement, training and incentive based programmes can be put in place to improve these problem areas. Conversely there may be areas that the driver grading system shows that the organisation is either improving or doing very well in.

Assessing cause of accidents

HSE guidelines also require all vehicles to be installed with a GPS-based tracking system, which is black box enabled, with a minimum requirement to record 60 seconds of a vehicle?s speed, second-by-second, prior to harsh brea?king or impact. To analyse the reasons for a crash, it is ideal to have a minimum of four minutes of second-by-second data before impact until the vehicle comes to rest or speed equals zero, with data automatically backed up to a remote server.

Digi?s technology is able to give a black-box detail report, which displays time, speed and location of an incident. This information is useful in providing indicators as to why the majority of accidents within an organisation occur, and hence how steps can be taken to minimise them. For example, if there was a sudden acceleration/deceleration before impact or if there were any evasive action taken by the driver to avoid impact, etc.

With human error being the biggest cause of accidents, it is imperative that organisations put systems in place to define and monitor correct human usage in order to reduce incidents of driver fatalities and accidents.

By investing in wireless tracking technologies, organisations can metaphorically ride with their drivers on long-haul trips, warning them of dangerous driving practices and situations. Operations that utilise wireless monitoring technology to hold their drivers accountable will be far better positioned to reap the benefits of a safe and vigilant driving fleet.

The author is the Manager for International Sales for the tracking range of products from Digi.