The United States is currently facing a trucking supply chain crisis. The phenomenon is rippling across the economy, weighing on growth and pushing up prices for consumers. Despite funds being directed toward alleviating the problem and inland facilities being converted into container yards, trucking remains a major bottleneck compounding the crisis.
The American Trucking Association has estimated that the industry is short 80,000 drivers, a record number, and one the association said could double by 2030 as more drivers retire. Recent legislation will greenlight drivers as young as 18 years old to transport freight across state lines. However, this new policy proposes a significant risk to fleet companies as teen drivers are three times more likely to be in a fatal crash than people ages 20 and older.
A recent record-breaking $900 million dollar nuclear verdict was brought against a trucking operation involved in a distracted driving incident that resulted in the death of an 18-year-old. The ruling set a new precedent for what fleets can expect to face when distracted driving incidents occur, an outcome younger drivers are more likely to experience.
Younger drivers will need greater support from fleet companies to adjust their relationship with technology while driving. The average person checks their phone 47 times a day. When we receive a text, our brains get surged with dopamine, and when our brain is in this reward state, it shuts off the part of our brain responsible for judgment and self-control, leading to distracted driving and its dangerous consequences. While having a cell phone use policy and employing reactive solutions, like in-cab cameras, are valuable and complementary, until this addictive behavior is stopped the root cause is not resolved. This is where proper safety technology solutions come into play — preventing the worst outcomes while supporting driver retention.
Safe Driving Technology Can Help
It is crucial now more than ever for companies to invest in preventative safety technology like the Motion Intelligence solution. Our Evvy app prevents distractions caused by mobile devices before they occur. Drivers remain safely connected without an opportunity to engage in dangerous distracted-driving behavior.
How does it work? Our Evvy app uses an associated signaling device and a cloud-based dashboard to manage mobile device policies in fleet vehicles. Evvy detects vehicle motion and puts the phone into a safe-driving mode, preventing dangerous options while keeping drivers safely connected.
Our MotionIQ Dashboard, which seamlessly integrates into existing fleet telematics and driver-monitoring tools, provides a fully customizable, easily managed monitoring system with real-time reports for effective management.
With our new Evvy Scoring and Rewards program, fleets can incentivize and reward drivers for practicing safe driving behavior rather than punishing drivers for a culturally ingrained addiction. Our scoring technology allows safety managers to monitor and pinpoint challenge areas and coach drivers to improve their performance. Our program also offers peer visibility where drivers can view their score-based rank within the fleet generating an environment for friendly competition and self-driven improvement. Shifting driver focus from the punitive consequences of their performance toward the rewards of safe driving behavior can motivate drivers to improve driving habits and reinforce driver retention. Motion Intelligence safe driving technology is a comprehensive solution to distracted driving that can alleviate the trucking supply chain crisis, help your company avoid nuclear verdicts, and prepare your fleet for teen drivers.
