SafetyConnect is a revolutionary AI-powered Road Safety Solution that helps large enterprises monitor at-risk driving behaviors of field employees while providing improvement suggestions to enhance their driving and job safety. The Solution also provides operational visibility into leading indicators and actionable safety insights that empower the company to introduce necessary interventions promptly. 

A combination of different mobile sensors is utilized to collect the necessary data. SafetyConnect leverages these sensors to analyze the driving behavior of field employees across five metrics - phone handling, harsh braking, overspeeding, harsh acceleration, and harsh cornering. 

Let us now understand what these unsafe behaviors are and what dangers they pose. 

‍

Phone Handling 

‍

Phone Handling while driving is any activity that is carried out in relation to your phone that distracts you from driving. These activities can range from something severe like calling or texting to something often shrugged off as harmless, like using the navigation system or setting up your music. 

Using a phone while driving diverts the attention of the driver from the task at hand. This leads to distracted driving which increases the chances of a crash and decreases the reaction time of the driver. As they are preoccupied with their phones, it is harder to respond quickly to changing driving environments such as a sudden turn or an unexpected vehicle coming from the opposite direction. Additionally, it also leads to inattention blindness, where drivers miss important road cues like red signals and traffic signs.

‍

Overspeeding

‍

Overspeeding means driving a vehicle at a speed higher than the posted speed limit or at a speed that is unsafe and too fast for the current road conditions. This specific definition may vary depending on the type of road and the location.

A significant danger associated with overspeeding is that it can significantly decrease the reaction time of the driver. Whenever a driver travels at high speed, he/she has less time to react to unexpected objects in their surroundings and to changes in road conditions that are unknown to them.

WHO has revealed that ‘An increase in average speed is directly related both to the likelihood of a crash occurring and to the severity of the consequences of the crash. Taking as an example, for every 1% increase in a vehicle's average speed, there is a 4% increase in the likelihood of the vehicle being involved in a fatal road accident and a 3% increase in the likelihood of having a serious crash.

‍‍

Harsh Cornering

‍

Harsh Cornering occurs when a driver takes a turn or curve too quickly. These unsafe turns are backed by a lack of knowledge regarding the risks involved. This unsafe driving behavior is considered an element of the broader threat to road safety, Harsh Driving.

Harsh Cornering can have a plethora of negative repercussions on the driver, the vehicle, and other road users. First and foremost, overturning the vehicle is a very real possibility of harsh cornering as it is left vulnerable to the intense inertia and centrifugal force Due to lack of visibility, harsh cornering drastically increases the chances of colliding with other vehicles, pedestrians, etc. It is also possible for the driver to lose control of the vehicle, which could result in serious accidents. The aggressive nature of harsh cornering also affects the vehicle's health, causing wear and tear on the tires among other such difficulties

‍

Harsh Acceleration

‍

Harsh acceleration is the term used to describe a vehicle's abrupt jerky movements or quick increase in speed. Significant risks are posed by this aggressive driving behavior to both the car's occupants and other drivers on the road. 

It may result in a lack of control, raising the possibility of crashes and accidents. Harsh acceleration can cause mechanical failure since it speeds up the deterioration of a vehicle's parts such as the engine, brakes, and gearbox. 

Furthermore, it has a negative effect on the environment by increasing pollutants and fuel consumption. Harsh acceleration might catch other drivers off guard, causing a series of unexpected stops and maneuvers that increase the risk of collisions. 

‍

Harsh Braking

‍

Harsh braking, which causes a vehicle to decelerate quickly, is the sudden, powerful use of the brakes. This aggressive braking behavior poses considerable dangers on the road.

Firstly, it makes rear-end crashes more likely since drivers who are following closely may not have the time to respond to the sudden halt. The braking system of the car is also put under stress by hard braking, which could cause it to age prematurely and lose some of its efficacy over time. In addition, sudden pauses lead to traffic jams. Harsh braking wastes energy because it causes the vehicle's kinetic energy to be transformed into heat rather than being used effectively, which is bad for fuel efficiency.

‍

‍

Ensuring Safety with Every Journey 

‍

Now that we understand the risks associated with such at-risk driving behavior, it is pertinent to take steps to ensure the safety of field employees on the road. Appropriate steps need to be taken to curb such behaviors and promote safe driving. 

‍

Along with reducing these at-risk behaviors, you can help your company decrease road accidents by 80% and increase productivity by 30% by integrating SafetyConnect’s Driving Safety Solution into your safety regime. Start a conversation with us here.

‍