Opinion: Sometimes ‘Big Brother’ Is the Good Guy

By Ryan McDonald

Founder and President

Is My Driving Safe Inc.

This Opinion piece appears in the April 27 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.

For years, carriers have sought ways to improve their drivers’ behavior when on the road and out of corporate sight, relying mainly on word of mouth and variations on those ubiquitous “Am I Driving Safely?” signs.

In recent times, an evolution has taken place, thanks to the Internet and other advances in technology. New methods, which range from trained observers keeping watch on specific vehicles to instantly available videos of driver behavior via the Web, are producing a measurable upgrade in driver behavior and safe conduct.

The decals are still around, of course, and they were important as a first step to improving driver behavior by asking the public to call in and report apparent misdeeds by truck drivers. The effect was immediate: Drivers instantly had a higher degree of accountability and began driving more safely. Their companies typically saw accidents decrease by 25%, which translates into about a year of savings for the carrier.

Unfortunately, those savings inevitably began to decline for several reasons, chief among them the simple fact that every story has two sides and, without outside corroboration, the decal program degenerated into a “he said, she said” argument between the driver and the phone-calling public, with 99% being negative in nature. Eventually, the decals became battered and defaced, and the program lost its effect.

The next step was to adopt a more direct campaign against unsafe drivers. Carriers began hiring companies to provide credible, third-party monitors to observe drivers and report on their behavior.

At this level of observation, it was important that the observers be highly trained and credible professionals, preferably off-duty police officers, state troopers and safety directors using their own personal vehicles. These trained observers had — and have — a level of credibility far above, for example, an irate citizen who has just been cut off by an 18-wheeler and wants to get even.

With credible reports from trained observers, carrier personnel were able to sit down with the drivers and go over the reports on their behind-the-wheel behavior. That direct observation enabled carriers to focus on training and close the safety loop.

The carrier effects have lasted much longer than the decal method used previously.

Some carriers reported demonstrable improvements in fleet safety and, in particular, a measurable decrease in rear-end collisions.

Carriers using the direct observation method reported a 10% to 25% decrease in accident rates in the first three months and lasting for years — with no decals to deface.

Of course, as with the decals, it was inevitable that drivers would disagree with negative reports based on observation. To combat that situation, monitoring companies such as Is My Driving Safe Inc. have been turning to technology to help “show” driver behavior in a format difficult to refute — videotape.

Police officers and state troopers have been using videotaping to record automatically the situations that sometimes develop during traffic stops or other trouble on the road. A clear view of the vehicle in front provides visible action of the person they are following. Carriers now are using the same concept, provided by third parties.

Carriers have seen very positive trends in using video because training opportunities are endless, the “he said, she said” is out the window and drivers drive more safely.

Companies use the videos of their drivers for training and education. When a carrier’s safety staff sees tapes of a driver tailgating or driving too fast in unsafe conditions, they can take immediate action to train that driver, sitting with him and using the tape to show the areas where improvement is needed. It also is proactive; there is no need to wait until an incident occurs to identify the areas where training is needed.

When companies see their own trucks on the screen, everyone pays attention. A driver cannot dispute negative behavior shown on video and defend the driving on the screen as safe.

The byproduct is that driving behavior will improve because no one wants to be seen doing anything wrong. It is the most effective when the driver doesn’t realize he or she is being filmed. The most effective way companies use the video is when they reward good behavior, offer positive feedback and discipline or train for negative behavior. With the video, drivers slow down and have fewer accidents, and the company saves money on fuel. The drivers appreciate positive feedback, but how often do they get it?

The results are measurable. One carrier reported that drivers who knew they might be videotaped in action increased following distances, and saw its rear-end collision claims reduced to virtually none.

Companies realize it is less expensive and more productive to use a third party with credible monitors than sending their own people on the road.

Is My Driving Safe Inc. is based in Tampa, Fla.