Commercial drivers can reduce the risks related to distraction by 50 percent or more by using the SmartDrive Measured Safety Program
, according to a study conducted by SmartDrive Systems.

SmartDrive analyzed 50 types of driver distractions, with drivers being distracted 8 percent of active driving time. The company used both in-vehicle video and non-video approaches to quantify distraction, and reviewed nearly 6,200 vehicle-years of data across nearly 25,000 drivers from 384 commercial fleets.

SmartDrive analyzed individual drivers for improvement over the first five months after implementing the SmartDrive Measured Safety Program. The program enables fleets to proactively coach drivers using video-based data, scored and prioritized by the SmartDrive Expert Review.

According to SmartDrive, the following distractions were reduced by these percentages:

• Smoking by 54 percent
• Use of maps or navigation by 52 percent
• Use of handheld mobile phone by 52 percent
• Drinking a beverage by 51 percent
• Use of a hands-free mobile phone by 44 percent
• Eating food by 40 percent
• General distraction by 30 percent

"These recent studies demonstrate the importance of fleets taking proactive measures to minimize the risk of driver distraction in their operations," said Greg Drew, president and CEO of SmartDrive Systems. "Fortunately, it is possible for fleets to realize significant reductions in specific behaviors. The effort spent can have a dramatic impact on collisions, saving lives and money."

SmartDrive will be participating in the upcoming Distracted Driving Summit in Washington D.C.

More info: www.smartdrive.net