Telematics and Collision Avoidance Systems Go Hand-in-Hand
Few fleet and safety managers would still debate the necessity of having telematics as part of running an efficient fleet. Nevertheless, fitting vehicles with collision avoidance systems (CAS) can ensure even more cost-savings.
Telematics
Telematics help you keep track of where your vehicles are, where they are going and how they are getting there. A good telematics system can significantly increase your fleet efficiency. The Telegraph reported that the Automobile Association saved £1 million the first year they implemented a telematics system.
However useful telematics may be, improving fleet efficiency doesn’t stop there. They certainly help to ensure your vehicles take the most advantageous route, but all the savings they provide you could be gone in a flash if they end up in a collision.
Collision avoidance systems
This is where collision avoidance systems come in. These systems warn drivers of potentially dangerous situations, such as getting too close to the vehicle ahead of them or unintentional lane departure. A study by the US-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that lane departure warning systems for lorries cut in half the number of collisions resulting from unintentional lane departures.
Dilemma
When confronted with the choice to invest in telematics or collision avoidance systems, fleet managers are faced with a dilemma. Which one to choose?
However, the answer quickly becomes apparent when looking at the true cost of accidents. According to figures published by the Department for Transport Statistics in the UK, even minor accidents cost an average of £25,451, increasing tenfold for a serious accident and even hitting £2,000,000 in case of a fatality.
Imagine reducing collisions by almost 30%, which is the effectiveness of forward collision warnings alone, and you get an idea of the scale of the return-on-investment (ROI).
Driver behaviour
Cost-savings don’t stop there. Collision avoidance systems can add to the fuel savings you’re already getting from telematics. Many fleet managers are unaware of how much fuel is eaten up by poor driving habits like sudden braking.
Best of all, integrated telematics and collision avoidance systems provide the data you need to show the ROI of both by tracking collision reduction, fuel savings and uptime.
So the dilemma fleet managers are faced with might actually be an opportunity to combine both telematics and collision avoidance systems, and increase savings and ROI.
