Dash cams are excellent tools that fleets all over the world are using to keep their drivers safe. Driver safety is a top priority for any fleet business, and technologies that promote safety come about all the time. It is essential for an employee’s sense of security, along with a company’s reputation and productivity, that fleets uphold safety standards on the road at all times. Of course, fleet managers can’t stay on top of drivers 24/7, which is why dash cams come in handy. Azuga’s SafetyCam is the best dash cam monitor on the market for promoting safety in fleets.
How SafetyCam Works
Azuga’s SafetyCam is a dual-facing dash cam that harnesses artificial intelligence to detect risky driving behaviors that can lead to accidents. It can track hard braking, speeding, swerving, and hard cornering like many telematics systems, as well as dangerous in-cab behaviors. SafetyCam is particularly good at noticing signs of drowsy or distracted driving. Distracted driving is one of the most significant dangers on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that in 2019 alone, 3,142 people were killed by distracted driving. Texting and driving is probably the worst culprit; the National Safety Council reports that one out of every four accidents in the US is caused by texting while driving. Naturally, distracted driving is a significant danger that SafetyCam works to combat. It can detect an array of indicators, including:
- Eating and drinking
- Using a phone
- Smoking
- Yawning or fatigue
- Face not visible
- Not focused on the road
If the camera detects any of these behaviors, it will first make a noise to alert the driver. This way, he or she has a chance to correct their actions. If the driver doesn’t make sufficient changes and the behavior continues, the camera will alert the fleet manager. The fleet manager can then contact the driver right from inside the cab to provide coaching, request a stop, or follow up however they see fit.
Promoting Safety
Highlighting incidents when they happen is only half of the battle. Fleets need to promote a culture of safety among their drivers. This cultural shift involves setting clear expectations and providing regular coaching for mistakes, as well as tracking safety records and rewarding drivers for a job well done. SafetyCam doesn’t simply detect and alert. It tracks safety behaviors over time and can provide insight into a driver’s overall safety efforts within the fleet.
Azuga also offers a driver rewards program that gamifies safety by setting drivers up to compete for gift card prizes by driving safely. The system gathers data detected by the SafetyCam and assigns each driver a safety score. The higher a driver’s safety score, the more likely they are to win a prize. Not only is it fun for drivers to engage in a little friendly competition, but it emphasizes the importance of safety and ingrains it into the fleet’s culture.
Other Safety Add-Ons
Azuga DriveSafe
Azuga DriveSafe is another effort to combat the dangers of distracted driving. It works as a cell phone blocker in the vehicle by preventing unauthorized cell phone activity and allowing managers to monitor the use of email, texting, and other apps. Managers may choose to make exceptions for hands-free use, calls from specified numbers, and certain apps such as navigation. Callers who try to contact the driver while they are on the road receive a message that the person is driving and the caller should try again later. Even better, managers can view comprehensive reports detailing dated and time-stamped instances of phone use. Cell phones are a dangerous temptation on the road, and Azuga DriveSafe keeps drivers from being able to succumb to that temptation.
Azuga Coach
Managers may already be coaching in-cab and training their drivers, but there’s never enough a company can do to prepare their drivers for what’s to come on the road. Azuga Coach provides a series of detailed and inclusive safety lessons that promote positive driving habits and reduce the rate of accidents. Lesson topics include:
- The One Second Advantage
- Avoiding Collisions While Backing & Parking
- Preventing Rear-End Collisions
- Avoiding Collisions at an Intersection
- Avoiding Aggressive Driving
- Driving Impaired - Not Worth the Risk
- Breakdown Safety
- Driving in the Rain
- Tire Pressure: The Key to Mileage and Handling
Conclusion
Azuga offers many safety features that will help any business create and promote a culture of safety. Companies’ reputations and drivers’ lives depend on it, so it should always be a top priority. Find out more about Azuga’s technologies on our website, or reach out to a specialist today to discuss your options for creating a safe and productive environment for your business to thrive.
