In 2021, the truck driver death toll doubled, with 50 drivers dying behind the wheel on our roads, the truck cabin remains one of the most dangerous workplaces in Australia.
As the industry searches for ways to make the roads safer for truck drivers, AI capabilities powering modern technology are stepping up to the challenge. Smart Dashcams have the potential to help drivers avoid mistakes, improve safety, augment coaching and training programs, and to help drivers make it home in one piece.
Here’s how Smart Dashcams are helping to make the roads safer for truck drivers.
Real-time visibility
Smart Dashcams run continuously while the vehicle is operating. They capture footage outside the vehicle and inside the cabin; using advanced sensors and a real-time AI engine, the information and footage is analysed to deliver instant alerts as you drive to help curb poor behaviours as it happens.
Risky driving behaviours and events such as harsh usage, speed, and following distance are caught early, giving you the chance to correct them instantly.
The driver-facing camera detects distracted driving and excessive yawning, alerting you and your managers. With everyone aware of the problem, you can take a break and refresh before hitting the road again – helping you avoid serious fatigue-related incidents.
Coaching and learning
No one’s perfect, which is why on-going training is crucial to improving your driving performance and safety. Smart dashcams come with built-in scorecard and coaching tools. This allows you and your managers to look at areas for improvement based on your driving metrics rather than a generalised training approach that doesn’t address your specific training needs.
Training can be delivered either in person through understanding analytics, or virtually through the built-in coaching system that reviews your events and helps you identify areas of opportunity to improve.
Though making mistakes and having them recorded can feel like cause for concern, the Smart Dashcam is designed to facilitate one-on-one coaching opportunities to highlight where improvements can be made, not to punish you. The data captured from the dashcam can help you understand risky driving behaviours to avoid making similar mistakes in the future – and potentially save your life.
Score carding also encourages healthy competition between driving colleagues. With leader boards and incentives for safe driving behaviour, everyone improves while having a little light-hearted fun. Positive behaviour is also highlighted, meaning the opportunity to reward good habits is there, helping with driver uptake.
Removing doubt
Dashcams can also play a huge role in removing doubt in certain circumstances. They help avoid a “he said, she said” situation, which is stressful and can significantly impact your career and livelihood. The Smart Dashcam AI engine is designed to continually learn from the environment inside and outside the vehicle, so the video evidence will always be there to back you up if something goes wrong on the road, or a complaint is called in.
On the flip side, the Smart Dashcam will also be there for you when you’re doing the right thing; it records positive activity behind the wheel, letting you and your managers know when you’re driving well and removing any doubt about your first-rate driving performance.
Driving a truck presents numerous safety challenges, and it can be tough to avoid all the dangers on the road. Thankfully, AI-powered Smart Dashcam technology is helping to make the roads safer and your job a little easier, one alert at a time.
