In the Driver's Seat | March-April 2009

In this Issue

• FMCSA Grants Exemption
• Why 4 Seconds is the Maximum Standard for Following Too Close
• Waste Connections Rolls Out Fleet-Wide Deployment
• Mark Your Calendar: DriveCam 2009 Academy Schedule
• Streamlining and Improving the DriveCam Program

• FMCSA Grants Exemption

  Allows video event recorders to be mounted on commercial motor vehicles lower in the windshield than previously permitted

  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has granted an exemption to DriveCam that will enable its video event recorders to be mounted on commercial motor vehicles lower in the windshield than previously permitted by the Agency’s regulations.

  DriveCam requested the exemption so that commercial motor vehicle operators would be able to use video event recorders to increase safety through (1) identification and remediation of risky driving behaviors such as distracted driving and drowsiness; (2) enhanced monitoring of passenger behavior for CMVs in passenger service; and (3) enhanced collision review and analysis.

  FMCSA believes that permitting video event recorders to be mounted lower than previously allowed, but still outside the driver’s sight lines to the road and highway signs and signals, will maintain a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety achieved without the exemption. The FMCSA went on to say in their granting of the exemption, ”the use of video event recorders by fleets to deter unsafe driving behaviors is likely to improve the overall level of safety to the motoring public.”

  Commenting on the exemption, Del Lisk, DriveCam vice president of safety services stated, “Because of the importance of our video event recorders reducing the number of risky driving incidents, we worked closely with CVSA and FMCSA to ensure the language of the exemption met all federal and state regulations, without compromising safety. We have many current and potential clients who wanted to ensure the safety of their fleet and reduce claims costs but did not want to implement our program without the federal government’s approval. This exemption will now allow them to move forward.”

  The new exemption applies to all commercial vehicles and is effective for two years (FMCSA is working on a permanent regulation). The exemption allows DriveCam’s video event recorder to be mounted up to 2” inside the upper edge of the area swept by wipes, as long as it does not interfere with the driver’s sightlines of signs and signals. The FMCSA exemption supercedes any state regulations by stating, “no State shall enforce any law or regulation that is inconsistent or conflicts with the exemption …”

  The entire exemption can be found here.

• Why 4 Seconds is the Maximum Standard for Following Too Close

  DriveCam is limited to using 4 seconds as the maximum standard we can select as “Following Too Close.” While we recognize and support our clients’ desire for a longer following distance, there are some practical reasons why we maintain 4 seconds as the maximum

  1. Video has a tendency to distort distances with the end result being that objects appear farther away than they really are. The measurement of following distance requires a reference point for the leading vehicle to pass, which then initiates the measurement of time until your vehicle reaches the same reference point. Unfortunately, anything longer than 4 seconds appears so far ahead, it is usually impossible to identify a suitable reference point in order to commence the measurement. In the example still shot below, Vehicle “A” is 4 seconds ahead of the DriveCam-equipped vehicle.

  

  2. As traffic often transitions from lane to lane, our standard for selecting “Following Too Close” includes a requirement that the condition of following too close wasn’t momentary but has continued for at least 4 continuous seconds. This is to ensure a driver isn’t penalized if another driver changes lanes in front of him. Instead, we provide the driver with a reasonable period of time to make the proper adjustments by changing lanes or backing off. Due to clip length, it is very difficult to have enough time to successfully measure and fairly identify a driver who maintained less than 6 seconds of following distance.

  3. Although we are not able to review events based on a greater following distance standard, our experience has shown that using the 4-second standard for reviewing purposes will still be extremely successful in isolating and correcting your riskiest drivers. In fact, our studies of our DriveCam database show that the vast majority of rear end collisions (47%) occur when drivers are maintaining a following distance of 2 seconds or less. Only 17% of rear end crashes involved drivers with 2 seconds or greater. The final 36% of rear end crashes in our database occurred when the lead vehicle was already stopped and the trailing driver failed to recognize this due to distractions or a “blank stare.” The graph below is an excerpt from the study.

  

  4. The bottom line is that while we must execute your event review at a maximum of a 4-second standard, instead of your request for a greater following distance standard, it will not have any negative impact on your results.

• Waste Connections Rolls Out Fleet-Wide Deployment

  Waste Connections, the third largest public solid waste company in the United States, needed to focus on the elimination of unsafe driver behavior and accidents. The results from installing DriveCam quickly proved positive and resulted in a fleet-wide deployment initiative.

  "Without a doubt, DriveCam is having a major impact. Because of this, we are moving toward implementing DriveCam nationwide across our entire fleet. We have not found a better system to change driver behavior."

  Link to Case Study

• Mark Your Calendar: DriveCam 2009 Academy Schedule

  We’re excited to present the last two Academies in our 2009 schedule:

  • September 11, 2009 Boston, MA
  • December 4, 2009 San Diego, CA

  Presented by DriveCam’s leading safety expert, Del Lisk, the DriveCam Academy is a one-day session dedicated to presenting and sharing advanced techniques for optimizing your use of the DriveCam program. The course is ideal for clients currently using the program but looking for ideas on how to maximize results. This is also an excellent environment for those considering a DriveCam deployment but seeking guidance on how to put it all together. The 2009 fee for attendance is $295 per individual.

  Come to this session to learn:

  • The essential steps for success with the DriveCam program
  • How to monitor program effectiveness
  • How to analyze complex videos
  • Surefire tips to maximize effective driver coaching
  • Key functionality that may not have been available when you deployed your DriveCam program
  • And much, much more

  Space is limited. For information, or to enroll in one of the sessions, please call 866-419-5861 and ask for Del Lisk or e-mail your request to dlisk@drivecam.com.

• Streamlining and Improving the DriveCam Program

  DriveCam is committed to providing our clients with solutions that maximize Return on Investment (ROI). Our experience shows that clients achieve the greatest claims reduction when using DriveCam’s:

  • Managed Services Program – a complete “Driver Risk Management” solution providing consistent, objective review, company-wide benchmarking and proactive program health checks
  • Cellular-based DC3 event recorder – stable and secure capture upload of events with minimal impact on our clients IT infrastructure, and now including GPS
  • DriveCam Online - our web-based software that allows anytime, anywhere access to events, tools and reports to manage your program. Updates to DriveCam Online are ongoing and automatic

  As part of our commitment to helping clients maximize their Return on Investment (ROI), we are transitioning this complete solution due to its many benefits:

  Managed Services Program

  • Professional trained video review is accurate, consistent and objective
  • Visible benchmarking and trending ensures company-wide compliance and performance
  • Proactive health checks to maximize operating performance
  • Best practice consulting and cross-industry benchmarking
  • Scale allows efficiency not available to individual clients
  • Clip analysis and management is our core competitive so clients can focus on their businesses and worry less about their drivers
  • Monthly, quarterly and annual program/ROI reviews provide consistent knowledge and visibility throughout the company

  Cellular-based DC3Event Recorder

  • Easy to provision and install
  • Network grade stability and security – eliminates on-site equipment and IT impact
  • Enables additional value through real-time GPS

  DriveCam Online

  • Access to your DriveCam events and reports anywhere, anytime you have an Internet connection.
  • No need to involve your IT department as no installation or setup is required and service updates are fast and effortless.
  • An enhanced video and player with all of the features and functionalities you are used to seeing in HindSight, including quarter-second video frames to measure distance during coaching sessions and a graph to better understand the amount of force being put on the vehicle.
  • An “All Events” tab so you can view all of your events that DriveCam receives.
  • Easy-to-use navigation to view your events and coach more effectively, including a collapsible notes section that allows you to easily hide comments during coaching sessions.
  • Improved reporting that includes the former HindSight reports, as well as several new reports to help you better manage your fleet.
  • And for those GPS users, immediate access to Google Maps and a Virtual View of where the event occurred.

  If you have questions about your DriveCam program, please contact your account manager at myacctmgr@drivecam.com.