Drivewyze has announced the launch of a free service that delivers essential in-cab safety messages to all commercial truck drivers.
The new service, called Drivewyze Free, allows fleets and drivers to receive a set of in-cab safety alerts and advisories on their telematics devices, tablets and smartphones in advance of potentially risky areas on the roadway. The core message sets include: heads-up warnings for High-Rollover risk areas, Low Bridges, Mountain alerts (steep grade ahead; chain-up/brake check stations; and runaway ramps), and Rest Area information (truck parking availability).
In addition, Drivewyze Free includes access to agency-sponsored real-time traffic slowdowns and other safety alerts generated in partnership with select state transportation and enforcement agencies through the Drivewyze Smart Roadways highway safety program for connected trucks. Participating DOTs include New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Georgia, Delaware, Connecticut, Ohio, Texas, Arkansas, and Virginia. The Pennsylvania Turnpike is also participating, as is the Colorado State Police and Wyoming Highway Patrol.
Currently, real-time message sets can include warnings for sudden and unexpected slowdowns, virtual safety signs and public emergency broadcasts from these agencies.
“In collaboration with our telematics and transportation agency partners, we are excited to be giving this essential safety service to the trucking industry at no cost. There are no strings attached,” said said Brian Heath, CEO of Drivewyze. “We know many of our Essential Alerts and Advisories modify behavior – drivers slow down and apply less hard braking. It makes them safer behind the wheel. We’re hoping all fleets will utilize this free offering to give their drivers technology that can truly make a difference to their safety.”
Drivewyze noted that a NHTSA study showed that crashes on interstates represent nearly 30% of all collisions, and many are secondary incidents where a truck or car rear-ended a vehicle that was in a queue from an initial crash. Forty-six percent of secondary crashes occurred over an hour after the initial crash.
Drivewyze says it is partnering with individual state transportation and enforcement agencies to tackle this challenge by delivering sudden and unexpected slowdown alerts along freight corridors in participating jurisdictions. “Advance notice for routes experiencing sudden or unexpected traffic slowdowns give truck drivers time to prepare,” said Heath. “In North Carolina, where we partnered with the North Carolina DOT, studies found that 70% of drivers that received an alert slowed down ahead of an incident. And the slowdown was significant—on average by 11 MPH compared to 2 MPH in a control group.”
Drivewyze notes that many fleets already subscribing to its services, such as the PreClear weigh station bypass service or the Drivewyze Safety+ driver coaching service, have been receiving free in-cab safety alerts as part of an optional bundle called Drivewyze Safety Notifications. That service will now be renamed Drivewyze Free and expanded to include truck parking information and additional Smart Roadway state programs. Additional Drivewyze Free features and alerts will be added on a regular basis, automatically, without any interruption to a driver’s in-cab experience, and with no action required from a participating fleet, the company said.
