Tackle distracted driving with driver-facing dashcams

Distracted driving isn’t a safety risk your fleet can afford. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about nine people die each day as a result of distracted driving, and another 1,000 injuries occur daily in accidents that reportedly involve a distracted driver.¹ The National Safety Council (NSC) also estimates that distracted driving crashes are under-reported, with cell phone use alone accounting for 27% of vehicular crashes.¹ 

Cell phones are only one of the many distractions that can pull a fleet driver’s attention off the road—but regardless of the cause, distracted driving remains a significant fleet safety threat for commercial fleets. As Business Fleet points out, “distracted driving remains the most significant ongoing risk for fleet managers, and they must implement policies around the use of technologies to minimize in-vehicle distractions.”²

It appears that today’s fleet drivers may often be falling short. A recent study on the perception of driver safety found that less than half of surveyed respondents consider commercial drivers who transport goods to be “safe” drivers.³ For fleet-based companies, whose drivers are a direct reflection of the company as a whole, responsible vehicle operation is that much more important.

One of the technologies that can help fleet managers reduce instances of distracted driving is an in-cab, driver-facing camera. 

Verizon Connect's driver-facing dashcam

While forward-facing cameras do help fleet managers to mitigate on-the-road risks, driver-facing cameras can be more effective in monitoring driver behavior given they provide an internal view of the cab and front seat. 

With the driver-facing Dashcam, Verizon Connect wants to give fleet managers a near real-time inside view of driver actions to help provide a more accurate account of circumstances surrounding driving events (such as hard-braking or hard-acceleration) and other incidents. Both new and existing Verizon Connect Reveal customers can benefit from the ability to view driver footage alongside road-facing footage (dual-facing dashcams) in an effort to mitigate false claims and improve driver safety.

Driver-facing cameras can also help provide visual clarity around distracted driving behaviors—helping managers determine what negative behaviors are most pervasive within the fleet, take action to proactively correct them, and to help coach drivers.

Discover five ways you can use video telematics to coach drivers for your fleet.

 Key capabilities:

• Dual footage view: Users get a dual view of driver-facing and road-facing video via desktop or mobile app in order to simultaneously compare both perspectives for any 40-second time interval.
• Streamlined video download: Users can download driver-facing footage as an MP4 file in order to easily share with insurance companies and assist in case of an accident, or to share with drivers to aid in coaching better driving behavior.
• Proof of liability: Capture in-cab visual of driver to determine any liability due to distracted driving (e.g. texting, eating, etc.).
• Near-immediate notice: Users receive notifications to view a video within minutes of when a harsh driving event or potentially dangerous driving incident occurs.

 Notable benefits:

• A single, integrated solution: Video flows seamlessly into Verizon Connect Reveal, reducing the need to log into multiple sites. Managers can then learn from the aggregate of data from telematics, dual video footage and AI enhanced with machine learning.
• Automatic classification: Videos are slotted into varying severity levels (e.g., major, moderate, minor, etc.) to help managers determine which incidents need more immediate attention.
• Improved management: Helps users improve driver coaching with video-based analysis. Leverage concrete video evidence to determine if disciplinary action is necessary, or download relevant clips of good driver behavior to boost morale and driver retention.
• Multiple setup options: Users can choose from two installation options: professional or self-install.

Driving-facing in-cab cameras are an easy way for fleet managers to help protect drivers and the business while mitigating risks, leading to better liability protection, a better company reputation and safe operations while on the road.

¹ https://www.government-fleet.com/320993/10-ways-to-minimize-distracted-driving

²https://www.businessfleet.com/10121660/the-evolving-challenges-in-fleet-safety-management

³https://www.businessfleet.com/10119964/fleets-that-transport-goods-considered-unsafe-to-some