Most people hate backseat drivers. It is why so many couples find car journeys together excruciating. One hates the way the other drives and the one driving hates the nagging.
Yet most drivers act in ways that are dangerous from time to time. While it is not always possible, let alone desirable, to have another human correcting your behavior, some things need saying.
This is where technology can play a role
Many companies that employ commercial drivers are installing video telematics in the cabs to keep an eye on the drivers. This technology could help save the lives of the drivers and other road users and save time and money for the trucking or delivery company.
How do video telematics work?
It requires fitting a special camera in the cab, which is connected to an artificial intelligence system. The fleet owner can choose what behaviors the system alerts for. Typical ones would be holding a phone, eating or drinking at the wheel or smoking. All those can distract a driver enough that they could cause a crash.
When the system spots the driver doing one of these forbidden things, it notifies the driver giving them a chance to correct their behavior. It can record whether they do or not. The fleet owner can look at the data to check if some drivers have a tendency to get distracted, allowing them to take appropriate action, be that training or discipline.
More importantly, it reminds the driver in the moment, much as a back seat driver would, which could help prevent a crash.
If a commercial driver crashes into you, getting legal help to request their driving data could help you prove they were to blame for the crash.
