Vehicle tracking? the latest in-vehicle safety feature

On: 28/02/2013 08:55 In: Vehicle Tracking

Vehicle tracking technology is tipped to be the UK's latest in-car safety feature, with technologies and capabilities advancing continuously. The benefits of which has recently received the backing of road safety charity Brake, as they claim the technology keeps ‘vehicles safer than ever before (…) as well as saving money’. There are a range of benefits associated with in-vehicle technology, by offering the fleet manager invaluable operational data, in relation to driver locations, speed and journeys undertaken, all which assist in the prevention of accidents and will minimise vehicle related costs.

Mobile safety - During a busy day, it is likely that the office based staff may need to contact those out on the road. Many commercial vehicles do not have hands free mobile devices and therefore when attempting to receive phone calls from the office whilst driving, are putting themselves and their passengers in danger. As a fleet manager, tracking gives you the ability to see when the vehicle is being operated, ensuring you do not attempt to contact the driver whilst they are on the move, therefore increasing safety and reducing the chances of risk and potentially contributing to an accident occurring.

Conscious Driving - Particularly when used in fleet vehicles, tracking encourages safety conscious driving, as the driver is aware that their driving style and habits may be under scrutiny, if they should behave in an unsuitable manner. Due to the fact that advanced tracking systems will flag up activities such as excessive speeding and unnecessary idling, drivers are naturally and often subconsciously more aware of their driving style and tend to operate the vehicle in a safer manner.

Locational Data - The locational aspects of a vehicle is a standard feature of all vehicle tracking systems, although the more advanced the system, the more accurate and regularly updated the data is. The Remote Asset Management system offers real-time positional data, meaning no matter what time or where you are, you will always have the ability to quickly obtain the exact location of the vehicle. This has proven invaluable, particularly in relation to stolen vehicles, in one particular case, a stolen vehicle was recovered in just ten minutes, as the owner was able to direct the police to its exact location.

Speed - Tracking a vehicle enables you to monitor all aspects of its operation and locations, with one of the most safety enhancing features being the speed analysis application. Many workers will exceed the speed limit in a rush to reach a particular job on time or simply to hurry the day along. Speed limits are enforced for a reason and therefore drivers exceeding the limit are putting themselves and those around them in danger. With the ability to track speed at every point in any one particular journey, fleet managers are reassured they can control such activities.