Being on the road all day, even a professional commercial driver’s mind wanders from time to time. According to Nauto, a fleet-management software that provides collision warnings and driver coaching, most of the fleets using their service experience six to seven distractions per moving hour, or about one distraction every 10 minutes. And from 2018-2020 (the most recent available Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data), the number of distracted large truck drivers involved in fatal crashes rose from 16 to 39. In 2020 alone, 248 large truck drivers had at least one driver distraction-related factor involved in their crash.
“When you really look at accidents nowadays, 90% of accidents on the road are basically due to human error,” said Ken Charmevil, division vice president at Lily Transportation. “I can tell you that a high percentage of that human error is based off of distracted driving.”
Charmevil pointed to three different types of distraction:
- Manual: hands not on steering wheel
- Visual: not watching the road
- Cognitive: not mentally focused on road and other vehicles/obstacles
Other distractions can include multitasking by completing paperwork or using electronic devices, said Akinyemi Koyi, president of product and strategy for EROAD, a fleet management platform. Texting while driving is an obvious example. And even talking on the phone can still lead to accidents as well by pulling a driver’s full attention from the road.
“I know nowadays that we push for the utilization of hands-free phones, but having a full-fledged conversation as you're maneuvering a tractor-trailer is a distraction, and I think people don't realize that it is a distraction because, ‘I've got my hands on the wheel,’ Charmevil stated. “But your mindset isn't where it needs to be. You're not focused on what's in front of you, you’re not focused on the big picture.”
That’s where assistive technology, including dash cams and coaching software, can help fleets keep their drivers focused during their long hours in the cab. Preferably, the system a fleet chooses will help address the various ways drivers can become distracted while driving.
Focusing on solutions
Some options for helping limit driver distraction in heavy trucks are through collision mitigation systems, lane departure warning systems, and fatigue monitoring systems to alert drivers when their minds (and vehicle) may be wandering, Koyi explained.
Read more: Product Spotlight: AI Dash Cams
Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) include collision mitigation measures such as automatic emergency breaking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and lane detection. Together, they mitigate the impacts of a distracted driver while helping the driver focus on driving with maximum efficiency. Some systems available today include Bendix Wingman Fusion, which offers collision mitigation, lane departure and assist, and adaptive cruise control; ZF's OnGuardMAX and OnSideALERT, which offers AEB and object detection in a vehicle's blind spot; and Detroit Assurance, which provides alerts when a driver stars speeding, de-throttling, and adaptive cruise control.
Beyond their abilities to lessen the severity of crashes when drivers are distracted, these technologies can also help train drivers to notice these habits in themselves, instead of just being alerted as they happen.
“Driver-facing dashcams can help provide coaching opportunities by monitoring driver behavior,” Koyi emphasized.
A couple examples of these cameras include Samsara’s CM32 dual-facing dash cam, Azuga’s SafetyCam AI and dashcams, and Nauto’s AI-based driver alert system. And while many drivers may balk at the idea of having Big Brother in the cab with them, some of these cameras do come with privacy measures. Azuga’s camera only sends footage to the back office when a risky driving event occurs and stores the rest, while Samsara offers dual lens covers for when a driver’s taking a break.
Lily Transportation has been using Samsara’s cameras, AI program, and collision avoidance system in its trucks for about a year now, Charmevil noted.
“What they do, from a distracted driving standpoint, is provide us with an artificially-intelligent camera so we can visually see our drivers caught in a distracting event,” Charmevil explained. “The technology alerts the driver with a ringing noise and it yells out, ‘You’re distracted!’”
Also, even if a system isn’t actively providing alerts, “Telematics systems contribute to driver focus by collecting numerous data points on vehicle performance and driver behavior,” Koyi added. “This data can help fleet managers identify coaching opportunities for their drivers.”
Of course, all of this technology works best when paired with a robust driver coaching program. To make sure your program is effective, it helps to have a consistent plan for how your provide driver feedback based on data from your ADAS, dash cams, and telematics systems. Then you can create achievable goals for your drivers based on that feedback that your technology can help them monitor, all the while keeping a consistent flow of communication so that drivers don't feel micromanaged and overwhelmed.
With this technology supporting best practices and driver feedback, fleets can improve both their safety on the road and cut down on their maintenance costs.
“By avoiding an accident from the start, fleets can lower expenses for repairs and keep their vehicles on the road,” Koyi stated. And Charmevil reported that since implementing Samsara’s technology, Lily Transportation’s accident numbers are down 30-40% year over year.
“Technology plays a big role with that,” he concluded.
