There are key features of any safety solution that can lead to improved performance and a faster return on investment. Among those is an open platform—one that has the ability to fit within an existing technology environment and with future system investments.
Simply put, you can realize value and a quick ROI for safety solutions by leveraging your investments together. For example, the ability to capture data generated from third-party active safety systems and integrate it with other safety programs—such as a data and video event recording platform—helps fleets take advantage of the vast amounts of data their increasingly technology-equipped vehicles are generating.
Collision avoidance, lane departure, roll-over protection and antilock braking systems have all proven their effectiveness in preventing or lessening the severity of collisions and improving safety for fleets that invest in these technologies. However, information from those systems is not always readily accessible, making it nearly impossible to effectively use the data you have at your disposal.
Safety solutions also need to be flexible and configurable to a carrier’s operating environment and business processes. Trucking operations, by their very nature, are not static. Similarly, their safety solutions might need to change over time.
Systems designed to help improve commercial vehicle safety must provide measurable value without requiring a significant investment of time and resources. Combining onboard data into a unified view enables fleets to quickly turn that information into a tool for developing effective driver coaching programs and safety policies, as well as for new operating practices and procedures that reduce the risk of collisions.
Unlocking the value in safety technologies can speed up ROI in several ways. Included are administrative time savings, fewer cargo and workers’ compensation claims, lower accident repair costs and, in some cases, insurance rates that at the least remain flat compared to market increases and may even be reduced.
Steve Mitgang is the chief executive officer SmartDrive Systems.
