Tracking a Truck Driver

Whenever a commercial truck driver is at fault in an accident, the drivers and passengers of smaller vehicles typically suffer significantly more serious injuries than the driver of the truck.

That’s why the movement to track truck drivers using GPS technology as they make deliveries is becoming a tool that trucking companies are using to help lower these types of crashes. Here are some benefits of this type of tracking.

Tracking Can Help a Truck Driver Identify Less Congested Routes

GPS tracking of commercial trucks can help the truck driver identify routes that are less congested with traffic. Studies have found that commercial trucks have a much higher likelihood of being involved in crashes in heavy traffic – especially traffic that is backed up due to work zones. Carriers that employ tracking devices on their trucks can help their drivers find routes that have free-flowing traffic, which also saves time to the delivery destination.

Decreased Opportunities To Speed

Each year, speeding is one of the significant causes of truck accidents. But, with a GPS tracking device, driver speed would be relayed to the carrier’s base in real-time. That would help to curb this dangerous behavior, because drivers would know that their supervisors could monitor their speed, hopefully making them much more likely to observe the speed limit.

Monitors Driving Hours and Rest Periods

The electronic logging device (ELD) mandate that goes into effect in December has already solved the problem of drivers falsifying their logbooks (which document rest and driving periods). But GPS tracking could augment ELDs, because it allows carriers to know when their drivers got on the road, the amount of time they took for lunch and rest breaks, and the time they stopped working for the day.

Tracks Dangerous Driving Maneuvers

GPS tracking devices are now enabled with sensors that are specifically designed to track and measure hazardous driving events such as hard braking, taking corners too narrowly, and frequent acceleration. These are all maneuvers that can heighten the risk of an accident, and by tracking these driving behaviors, carriers can better assess the performance of their drivers, and determine who needs improvement.

Provides Live Video of Truck Cabs

Many GPS tracking devices for commercial trucks now feature video cameras that can provide live-feeds from the cab of the truck. Carriers can now have a real-time view of a driver’s physical state during hours of operation. This can provide valuable information about when a driver is most likely to get tired, and when a driver is most alert and focused. This is a tool that trucking companies can use to improve driver behavior by correcting mistakes or problems seen on the video monitor.

Recovering From Truck Accidents

Despite the fact that commercial carriers are utilizing technology to help their truck drivers operate more safely, truck wrecks are still an unfortunate fact of life, and recovering from these accidents can be very difficult.

That’s why the team at Rosner Law Offices, P.C. has the resources and the experience to help you find peace of mind and confidence after one of these life-changing events. Please call us today at (856) 502-1655 for a free legal consultation.