How Distracted Driving Prevention Systems Can Improve Companies' Bottom Lines

Distracted driving is a leading cause of injuries and traffic fatalities in the U.S., costing billions of dollars. In 2019 distracted driving resulted in 10,546 fatalities, and 1.3 million nonfatal injuries, to the tune of $98.2 billion. All told, distracted driving accounted for 29% of all crash costs in that year. It's only getting worse thanks to TikTok and texting. 

For businesses that operate fleets, preventing distracted drivers has become a top priority, especially in an environment where fuel prices remain high, the cost of repairs is elevated and interest rates are rising. Even one accident puts the driver off the road, making it difficult to fulfill orders and/or meet obligations. Then there’s the cost to repair the vehicles, cover medical bills, any legal fees and increased insurance premiums. Not to mention if drivers are distracted on the road causing traffic accidents and other incidents, it can hurt the brand’s reputation and morale among employees. 

Distracted Driving Prevention Systems Protect The Bottom Line

To reduce the number of distracted driving incidents, delivery services, transportation companies and construction firms are increasingly turning to distracted driving systems. For good reason. Sure there’s an upfront cost, but the return on the investment can come quickly if it prevents an accident. It can also lower insurance premiums, enhance operational efficiency by reducing driver fatigue, stress and errors and even improve employee retention. It shows you care about the safety and well-being of your employees. 

Take SaverOne 2014 Ltd. SVRE, the Israeli tech startup’s distracted driving system. It prevents drivers from using distracting apps while driving. SaverOne’s technology automatically locates the mobile device in the driver’s area and prevents the driver from using messaging and other apps. If the app is disabled, an alarm will sound. SaverOne’s technology is already installed in over 4,500 cars, trucks and buses and is integrated into the fleets of more than 100 companies worldwide. What makes it particularly unique is that its technology blocks messages but still lets the driver access navigation and other work-related applications. The company gets to set what’s allowed. What’s more, there is no action required on the part of the driver. It's automatic and doesn’t require consent.

Monitoring Can Also Save Companies Money 

Keeping drivers focused behind the wheel is one element of reducing distracting driving, another is monitoring on the company's part. Think it doesn’t matter? Think again. By keeping an eye on how the driver is performing a company can not only promote good driving habits and dissuade bad ones, but spot problems before they become a bigger issue. In the past monitoring was reactive. The company had to wait for the vehicle to return to read the tachograph, inspect the vehicle for damage or wait until the speeding ticket came in the mail. 

Advances in technology have changed that. Now companies can monitor drivers from the comforts of their office in real-time thanks to GPS, cameras, radars and accelerometers to capture data on the vehicle’s movements and surroundings. Smartphone apps and wearable devices that connect to the vehicle via Bluetooth or the OBD-II port are also used to collect data on the driver’s actions and reactions. There are some systems that combine all the disparate technologies into one comprehensive system. All are designed to reduce distracted driver incidents and protect the bottom line. 

Distractions are coming from everywhere and companies that operate fleets are paying the price. They need to keep their drivers safe and are turning to technology to meet that end. It's the reason why over 100 companies have integrated SaverOne’s system into their fleets and why its technology is installed in over 4,500 cars, trucks and buses. In a perfect world, everyone would stay safe behind the wheel. In the real world, you need prevention and monitoring and that’s where distracted driving systems come in. 

Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash

This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.