Smart AI dash cams improving driver safety

Safety on the road continues to be a talking point, particularly when discussing heavy vehicles. The reality is, Australia has technology available that can greatly reduce the number of crashes and road incidents — and it’s important to understand the major causes of truck collisions and how this technology can help.

The transport sector has done a great job in recent times to reduce the number of major accidents caused by fatigue. In fact, the latest NTI report states that only 8.2% of major crashes are caused by fatigue, down from 12% in 2015. This in part has been helped by the introduction of fatigue cameras to the market as well as a greater focus on fatigue management by employers. Unfortunately though, 63.5% of truck crashes are still caused by human-related factors.

The biggest contributor to truck collisions is now inattention and distraction. There are many distractions for drivers and the use of mobile phones continues to be a major factor. This, along with drivers not paying attention to the road, is what needs to be addressed.

The use of a smart AI dash cam can help alleviate the major causes for collision. Having an AI camera facing the road will detect lane departure, following too closely, speeding and potential collisions — all of which are results of being inattentive. Having the ability to give immediate alerts to the driver assists with adjusting driver behaviour and in turn makes our roads safer. This technology can also further assist with driver coaching by picking up harsh braking and acceleration, as well as sharp turning which could be unsafe.

To complement this technology, having an AI camera facing the driver will address the remaining issues faced with driver safety. It can detect whether a seatbelt is being worn, whether a phone is being used, distracted driving (eyes not on the road) as well as recording fatigue events experienced by the driver — yawning and falling asleep. This all-in-one technology really does address all the main causes of incidents on our roads involving heavy vehicles.

To further emphasise the importance of smart AI dash cam technology, Frost & Sullivan’s 2020 video telematics white paper cites that video telematics can lower driver distraction by 80%, reduce speeding by 65%, increase seatbelt use by 70%, reduce collisions by 60% and reduce insurance claims by 25%.

The transport industry has the opportunity to reduce the number of collisions on Australian roads by embracing this technology. It also requires education of drivers as to why these AI dash cams can help save their lives, rather than seeing them as ‘big brother’ keeping an eye on them while working. Every employer has an obligation to ensure their employees return home to their families every night.

Image credit: iStock.com/Kwangmoozaa