Drivers of trucks equipped with Drivewyze Connected Truck services will begin to receive in-cab safety notifications when approaching 26 curves and ramps on the Pennsylvania Turnpike where advisory speeds are less than the posted speed.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission recently approved the toll road’s participation in the Drivewyze Driver Safety Notifications program, a free add-on service now integrated with the Drivewyze PreClear weigh-station bypass application. The Driver Safety Notifications program will become more widely available when Drivewyze moves it from a pilot to an operational phase later this year, according to Brian Heath, president of Drivewyze. The notifications are available with Drivewyze PreClear, which runs on select in-cab telematics and Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs).
The addition of the 26 locations along the PA Turnpike now brings the total number of states participating to 19 states and the number of notification sites nationwide to more than 100. The program was initiated with the goal of improving safe driving behavior with automated in-cab messaging as drivers approach high rollover zones.
“These in-cab safety alerts at known high-rollover locations significantly improve safety by improving driver behaviors. We are proud to be providing this potentially life-saving service at no cost to the PA Turnpike Commission,” Heath said.
Before starting its pilot program for the safety notifications last year, Drivewyze established a driving behavior baseline using a study of more than 15,000 trucks. The study allowed for a comparison of driver behaviors before and after they received notifications. The study revealed how notifications reduced incidences of excessive speed by 17 percent. The study also showed that as drivers slowed down, the lateral forces, which can cause rollovers in high-risk areas, were reduced by 12 percent.
“The innovative Driver Safety Notifications program complements the advanced-warning signs across our system, providing drivers a greater situational awareness and encouraging them to slow down,” said Robert Taylor, acting chief information officer at the PA Turnpike. “Our commercial customers receive these Driver Safety Notifications exactly when and where they need them most, which in turn helps ensure the safety of all people on our 550-mile system, including those traveling via passenger vehicles.”
The Drivewyze Driver Safety Notification Service was recognized by the Intelligent Transportation Society (ITS) of America last year as a finalist for its national “Infrastructure of Things” Award.
“With driver safety notifications, drivers win because they avoid the stress associated with driving in these areas,” Heath said. “Fleets win because Drivewyze can offer them data-driven insights that support driver coaching programs. The notifications can help provide drivers effective and actionable recommendations for improving their driving habits, reduce the potential for accidents and improve CSA safety scores.”
