Video telematics provider SmartDrive has developed new SmartSense “intelligent driver-assist” sensors to detect unsafe speeds in bad weather conditions and “sitting duck” events.
The new sensors, Speeding for Conditions and Sitting Duck, leverage streaming vehicle data, external data and cloud computing to identify and alert fleet managers and drivers immediately for unsafe conditions.
Department of Transportation crash statistics show that unsafe speed is the leading cause of collisions (65%) in bad weather. Overall, 23% of all truck crashes occur when drivers are going too fast in weather conditions.
The new Speeding for Conditions intelligent sensor compares location-specific weather, map and truck data to determine if the vehicle speed is unsafe. Jason Palmer, chief operating officer of SmartDrive, said the system can immediately alert drivers of unsafe speeds and provide information about what a safer speed would be for the conditions, based on fleet customers’ policies.
A live report in SmartDrive’s web portal gives fleet managers details of the unsafe speeding events. Users can also view trend reports to see where they are having issues with drivers going too fast for conditions such as in rain, fog and snow by geographical region.
The reporting also shows how driving behaviors change after messaging or training goes out, he said.
The Sitting Duck intelligent sensor identifies situations where a vehicle is parked on the side of the road or in a lane of travel. The situation may be caused by a mechanical issue, but Palmer said that SmartDrive has seen an increase in sitting duck events during the COVID-19 pandemic due to overcrowding at rest areas and truck parking locations.
