IVMS | What is IVMS, Vehicles monitoring system, Benefits Of The IVMS

                                 VEHICLE MONITORING SYSTEM (IVMS)

Benefits of IVMS

(IVMS) SAFETY

VEHICLE MONITORING SYSTEM (IVMS), BENEFITS OF THE IVMS, TRACKING INDICATORS, NIGHT DRIVING AND ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

VEHICLE MONITORING SYSTEM (IVMS)

In-vehicle monitoring systems (IVMS), or driver behavior monitoring systems refer to electronic devices that record data about a driver’s behavior and vehicle use, such as date, time, speed, acceleration, deceleration, and seatbelt use of driver behavior during driving.

IVMS measures driver performance against a predetermined set of parameters of performance. The monitor records the information electronically so information can be easily downloaded to a computer monitoring. Many types of monitors are available on the market, ranging from simple plug-and-go devices that record unsafe driving behaviors, to sophisticated systems that track the physical location of vehicles in large fleets in real-time and date.

IVMS In-vehicle monitoring systems provide important information to support safe driving behaviors, but they should be only one component of a comprehensive motor vehicle safety program IVMS. For a company or organization to have a sustained reduction in the risk of motor vehicle crashes, a comprehensive motor vehicle safety program needs to be in place.

The benefits of the IVMS.

1.       Reduces motor vehicle crash or accident rates

2.       Reduces speeding of vehicles

3.       Encourages use of seat belt

4.       Improves at-risk driver behavior

5.       Reduces Emergency Response times

6.       Demonstrates corporate social responsibility

7.       Increases security for drivers and material

8.       Reduces fuel costs of the vehicle and environmental impacts

9.       Improve vehicle utilization at work site

10.   Reduces maintenance costs of vehicles

TRACKING INDICATORS

The IVMS vehicle monitoring system utilized by the company or organization can monitor a variety of parameters from the vehicles. The following parameters are focused on ensuring safe driving behavior from all companies or organization employees and contractors:

·       Seatbelts not fastened

·       Incidents

·       Harsh braking

·       Over-speeding

DRIVER PERFORMANCE

Each driver’s overall safe driving performance shall be evaluated based upon their overall distance driving and their cumulative violations recorded on the IVMS vehicle monitoring system. The higher the score, the poorer the driver is performing in terms of driving safely in the company.

SPEED LIMITS

Speed limits are used to set the legal maximum or minimum speed as per road speed limits at which road vehicles may travel on a stretch of road. It is done to improve road traffic safety and reduce the number of casualties or accidents from traffic collisions of vehicles.

NIGHT DRIVING

There is a significantly increased risk associated with night driving. Due to the decreased vision and increased tiredness, Nighttime driving has resulted in more frequent collisions with animals, unlit obstacles, and other road users. Rollovers, incidents at junctions, and vehicles drifting off the road are also more prevalent due to poor visibility and the tiredness of drivers, including falling asleep at the wheel.

The journey in darkness shall first be determined and requires an understanding of the urgency and priority of the journey. The decision to expose drivers and passengers to the risk associated with driving during darkness needs careful consideration in nighttime driving. The company shall avoid driving during late hours of darkness if possible in the time.

FATIGUE

The fatigue drivers shall not force themselves to undertake a journey that they believe may cause them excessive fatigue. All factors of fatigue including weather conditions are to be taken into consideration before a decision is made to travel on a long route.

Driver’s rest break shall be taken after 4 hours of continuous driving, however, it is recommended that a rest break should be taken after every 2 hours of continuous driving. The rest breaks provide the opportunity to:

Walk around and stimulate blood circulation

Catch up on mobile phone messages/calls

SEAT BELTS

The use of seat belts by all occupants of the passenger in cars, vans, and goods vehicles is mandatory. It is everyone’s responsibility to wear seat belts correctly during the journey, including rear-seat users of passengers.

Ensure drivers shall refuse to transport passengers who do not correctly fasten their seatbelts. Ensure seat belts shall be of the 3-point configuration incorporating automatic retraction and deceleration activated emergency locking mechanisms - often referred to as inertia reels of seat belts.

On buses, 3-point seat belts shall be worn by the driver only, front-seat passengers, and all passengers seated with an open space in front of them e.g. on the back seat facing the aisle or on a seat adjacent to a doorway. The rest of the seats shall be fitted with either two or three-point seat belt configuration.

Ensure where vehicles are to be used in off-road operations, consideration should be given to the use of four-point harnesses.

The approved seating capacity of a vehicle shall be equal to the number of available and operational seats correctly fitted with working three-point seat belts as described above following the manufacturer’s guidelines for the vehicles.

Seat belts should be checked by the driver daily to assess their suitability and to identify any, which may not be functioning correctly. Check if a driver discovers that a seatbelt does not function correctly, he shall ensure that that seat is not occupied by a passenger and that the deficiency is reported to the supervisor.

ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

The company or organization operates a policy of drugs do not use with regards to drugs and alcohol use when combined with motor vehicle operation. The medical blood alcohol content of a driver operating a motor vehicle shall be 0.00% and he/she shall have no illicit drugs in his system.

Prescribed or over-the-counter medicines do not use following a doctor’s or the manufacturer’s guidance, any other substance that may be inhaled, injected, ingested, or introduced into the body may affect or impair judgment whilst driving.

SMOKING POLICY

The company or organization operates a no-smoking policy within all its vehicles, which includes all types of electronic cigarettes. Car cigarette lighters are strictly prohibited from all vehicles.

COMMUNICATION

Some guidelines with regards to communication whilst driving:

Drivers shall neither initiate nor answer a mobile telephone call while driving a vehicle.

Communication includes text messaging and web surfing as well as the use of hands-free devices, Mobile telephones can be left switched on during a trip to alert the driver of any incoming calls. The driver shall safely leave the road, and bring the vehicle to a complete stop in a safe parking area before initiating or answering a call or SMS. This also applies to radio communication used for two-way communication, including communication with base stations and any other network-enabled devices, Ensure the drivers shall not use intermittent stops on the road e.g. at traffic lights as an opportunity to make or answer mobile telephone calls or SMS.