“Just” is All it Takes
Everything can be a distraction. Whether it be … 
… just a quick call … just an email
… just a short trip … just a glance
… just one drink … just a text
… just a picture … just a bite
“Just” is all it takes to cause a distraction.
Although COVID-19 has reduced the number of vehicles on our roads, those people who are driving are distracted more than ever. And, unfortunately, eight people are killed and more than 1,000 are injured in distracted driving crashes – every day.1 That’s what happens when 96% of people think texting while driving is dangerous, yet 44% do it.2 In fact, texting is even dangerous when sitting at red lights or stop signs because it takes your brain some time to return its focus to the road … and the task at hand.
That’s why October has been designated National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
Distractions Don’t Have to Happen in Your Fleet
Because distractions have become so commonplace, many safety managers or fleet owners accept them as a cost of doing business. However, as many fleets have discovered, technology can help fleets manage distractions and eliminate them from a fleet. One effective way to identify, coach and eliminate distractions is video.
Using computer vision-based algorithms and a purpose-built sensor, SmarDrive for Inattentive Driving (SSID) is the latest technology from SmartDrive to help you ensure a safer fleet. By identifying and eliminating the most dangerous risks in your fleet — texting, drowsiness, inattentive driving and eyes off the road – SSID prevents inattention before it becomes a collision by:
- Immediately alerting your driver at the high-risk moment.
- Offloading video for review so you can coach and avoid this behavior in the future.
With advanced technology, you have immediate access to the data you need to coach distracted driving out of your fleet and avoid the possibility of it happening again.
Remember, distractions don’t have to happen. Rather than be part of the epidemic, be part of the solution. Download the PDF, Know the Risks of Distracted Driving, and post it for your drivers so they stay focused and know you care. For more information on how SmartDrive can help protect your fleet, contact us today.
1 National Safety Council, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
2 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, NSC report “Understanding Driver Distraction”
- Posted by Melissa.Senoff@smartdrive.net
- On 4 October 2020