In 2021, over 5,600 fatalities involving heavy trucks were reported, with 52% of large truck occupant deaths occurring in rollover crashes, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Additionally, a 2020 NHTSA study revealed that 28% of fatal crashes were speed-related.
Addressing this concerning trend, Drivewyze, a provider of safety technology solutions for fleets, now offers safety alerts through various platforms, including ELD, telematics devices, tablets, and smartphones. These alerts have proven effective in mitigating rollover- and speed-related accidents. Previously bundled with paid services, Drivewyze has taken a proactive step by introducing Drivewyze Free, a standalone version offering alerts and advisories at no cost to every commercial driver.
Drivewyze Free provides alerts based on data from Drivewyze and its partners, which include over 125 telematics providers, state departments of transportation, and industry partners like one.network, HAAS, and INRIX. According to Martin Murtland, Drivewyze vice president of product, these alerts have positively influenced driver behavior. Sudden slowdown alerts resulted in a 70% reduction in speed by an average of 11 miles per hour, and there has been a 10% to 16% decrease in hard braking events.
Among the alerts offered are low bridge warnings, credited with eliminating bridge strikes for Drivewyze users, and high rollover alerts. The latter has led to an average speed reduction of 7.3 miles per hour for those exceeding the posted speed limit by more than 5 miles per hour.
“I remember I was at a conference sitting beside a law enforcement officer from Omaha who said there’s this really bad corner that, every time there’s rain or the wind picks up, there’s inevitably a rollover crash at that area, but never once has there been (one involving) a Drivewyze truck,” Murtland said. “So really what we want is every truck to have that zero incident on a rollover event.”
Drivewyze CEO Brian Heath emphasizes the company’s commitment to improving highway safety by making Drivewyze Free widely accessible to drivers and fleets of all sizes.
“Our mission is zero crashes, zero fatalities,” he said. “We want to reach every truck driver and every fleet out there … so that folks can get access to these essential alerts and advisories, and then we can move the needle on highway safety.”
The alerts stem from two data sources: Drivewyze-sponsored data, including warnings for rollover risk areas, low bridges, mountain alerts, and rest area information, and state agency-sponsored data through the Drivewyze Smart Roadways program.
Participating state agencies, such as those in New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Georgia, Delaware, Connecticut, Ohio, Texas, Arkansas, and Virginia, sponsor exclusive alerts along specific traffic corridors. The Pennsylvania Turnpike, Colorado State Police, and Wyoming Highway Patrol are also involved, with plans to expand participation.
Alerts from state agencies cover various scenarios, including sudden slowdowns, unexpected slowdowns, active work zones, lane closures, service vehicles, virtual signs for road closures and detours, and emergency alerts.
“The important thing is we can impact driver behavior. If you can give a driver heads up to an upcoming potentially risky area, then that driver has time to react or to prepare,” Heath said. “There’s a high correlation between hard braking events and crashes, so if you can give the driver time to react, then then there’s going to be a reduction in speed, there’s going to be a reduction in hard braking events and that corollary impact on a reduced crash rate.”
Drivewyze Free users gain access to the Drivewyze Hub, a dashboard offering fleet managers visibility into the effectiveness of alerts provided to their drivers, along with insights and on-demand reports on various operational aspects. Heath assures that additional features and alerts will be continually added. Interested drivers and fleets can enroll in the free service through the Drivewyze website.
Source: Commercial Carrier Journal
