Stopping distracted driving

Drivers in Missouri and the rest of the nation are susceptible to being distracted while they are behind the wheel of their vehicle. Certain forms of technology can do this, as well as something as simple as allowing the mind to wander. Because driving while distracted can result in significant losses and costs, it is important that a solution is found.

For over 10 years, fleet companies have been collecting vehicle data to identify the adverse events, such as hard acceleration and braking, that occur in their trucks. Fleet management devices and analytics can be used to combine the adverse events with driver coaching. They can also use the events to turn on certain devices, like video cameras. However, and probably more importantly, the data that is being collected by the fleets can be used to forecast the conditions that are likely to result in collisions or situations in which drivers may be fatigued or distracted.

One particular fleet management company has been analyzing transportation data since 2004. In 2016, the company implemented a specific module in its online tool for driving that is intended to identify certain conditions, such as fatigue and distraction, in order to determine when drivers are in danger of being in a serious motor vehicle accident. The only data the module uses is the commercial driver’s hours of service information.

A personal injury attorney may pursue financial compensation on behalf of clients who have sustained injuries in commercial vehicle accidents caused by distracted truck drivers. The attorney may engage in litigation to hold the negligent parties, which may include both the truck driver and the trucking company, accountable for the losses that have been sustained.