Road Accidents Are a Mortal Problem
According to the National Safety Council, approximately 40,000 people have been killed each year from 2016 to 2018 due to motor vehicle crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration counts between 35,000 and 38,000 over the same time period. Regardless of whose statistics you accept, the yearly total varies by just a few percentage points. No substantial reduction appears imminent. To put the number of annual fatalities in perspective, the 38-000-to-40,000 figure represents a jump of 14 percent since 2015.
In addition, approximately 4.5 million others were seriously injured in crashes in 2018 alone.
Pedestrian deaths resulting from reckless driving is yet another area of concern. According to the Governors Highway Safety Administration, the 6,227 pedestrians killed by moving vehicles across the U.S. in 2018 represented a 28-year high.
The human toll is accompanied by an economic one. The World Health Organization estimates that road traffic crashes cost most countries three percent of their gross domestic product. If that statistic holds true for the U.S. as well, it would mean that traffic accidents cost the country $615 billion in 2018.
What is beyond dispute is that the human factor is the number one reason for most road accidents. That is because 80 percent of crashes occur due to the momentary inattention of the driver. Most such distractions stem from biological or environmental reasons. This alarming data begs special attention. Clearly, the most obvious way to reduce the human factor in road accidents, both fatal and non-fatal, is to search for a solution that warns drivers in advance that their inattention will lead to an accident. Whether these are fatal or minor accidents, they can often be prevented. By detecting the potential for accidents before they happen. Here’s how.
The Solution is a Smart System
Car safety systems are no longer the “next thing” in the transportation. They’re already here. That raises questions for fleet managers who have not yet incorporated them into their vehicles, as well as insurance companies that have not yet required them to do so. Studies have shown that smart anti-collision systems of all types reduce the probability of an accident by 19% and the severity of an accident by 30%.There is no doubt that a smart safety system is the most dependable solution for anyone who is looking for an effective, state-of-the-art way to maximize road safety.
So how does it work?
A smart anti-collision telematic system installed in a vehicle scans the road while driving and warns the driver of various dangers before it can even be noticed. Most, however, feature only cameras. Safe Drive Systems (SDS) has gone one step beyond. Its unique solution is the only one that incorporates radar, in addition to the cameras, and, therefore, provides the driver with the maximum possible protection. Its sensors can detect obstacles and danger up to 450 feet away.
Radar ensures that such detection is equally available at night as well as during the day, and in the rain and snow as well as when it’s bright and sunny. Radar ensures that the SDS anti-collision system detects pedestrians, motorcyclists, construction hazards, and stalled vehicles on the road ahead. Or one that is braking or has veered off course. When the radar identifies such an obstacle, the system alerts the driver with a series of beeps and flickering lights. This gives the driver up to five seconds before a potential accident and probable injury takes place so that the expected danger cannot be ignored and evasive action can be taken. Systems without a radar component, in comparison, leave only 2.5 seconds for a response. Doubling the warning time can make the difference between life and death.
Economic Benefits and Convenience
So why isn’t every vehicle on the road already equipped with one? One of the reasons is an erroneous assumption about costs. Actually, installation is a lucrative deal for the owner of the vehicle, in addition to being a lifesaver. There are three major reasons why:
- Insurance Discounts
Needless to say, when the chances of being involved in an accident are substantially reduced, the insurance premium is lower. - Engie Component
The Engie App, which is available together with SDS’s anti-collision telematic system, is one of the most interesting and effective vehicle maintenance developments in recent memory. It is a smart black box that employs advanced diagnostic technology to scan vehicle systems, as well as fuel consumption and other parameters. In that way, it alerts the driver about expected faults in real time. Sophisticated algorithms leverage data to analyze the current health of a vehicle and also predict its future. It identifies the source of malfunctions, appraises required repairs, flags service schedules, and warns of erratic driving behavior, among other information that fleet managers will find absolutely vital. Engie App users are also able to save up to 35 percent of their annual fleet maintenance and maintenance costs . - Safeguarding the Vehicle’s Value
In addition to all the other indispensable benefits SDS’s smart anti-collision telematic system provides, it will also help preserve the car’s value. Used vehicles that have never been in an accident retain their value well above those that have, of course. But a smart anti-collision telematic system actually adds value to an existing vehicle. When shopping for a specific make and model, a prospective buyer would obviously choose one that is demonstratively safer over one that lacks the equipment that makes it so.
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