Whether Hands-free, Handheld, Texting or Talking, Distracted Driving Is Deadly

Monitoring Solutions

There now are a variety of monitoring solutions to help companies ensure mobile devices are used safely and in compliance with federal, state and/or local laws. These technologies can be categorized into two groups: active and passive controls. Active controls require software installed on the mobile device and give the employer the ability to determine which features function while the employee is driving. Passive controls do not require software installed on the mobile device; instead, they utilize data from fleet management and wireless billing systems to empirically measure employee use of a mobile device while driving.

When evaluating which technology solution meets the company’s needs, employers should consider the following:

Flexibility: Choose a vendor that offers maximum flexibility with regard to policy configurations, device types and implementation options.

Support: Develop a solid understanding of the devices that are covered by various vendors and how the same application can behave differently on different device types. Ask questions about each vendor’s roadmap plans for developing additional device features and plans for device operating systems.

Trigger Methods: Software-only triggers (GPS-based) work in any type of vehicle and do not require additional capital investment in hardware systems. The drawback to a software-only trigger is an incremental drain on the mobile device battery and an inability to distinguish between driver and passenger. Alternatively, hardware-assisted triggers require an incremental capital investment and may not work in all types of vehicles.

Administration, Analytics and Reporting: A proper technology solution should give the company the ability to easily set up and administer employee drivers. It should also allow the business to see how driving behavior is actually being modified. Such data informs the level of compliance and enables remedial action when necessary. Additionally, the ability to send alerts based on changes in driving status is a good and a minimally intrusive way to keep management connected and moving forward toward the desired outcome.

Experience and References: Ultimately, the most important consideration when making a decision is to select a vendor that has successfully deployed software solutions in support of others so the company can ask these other customers questions about the technology and their experiences with it.