Tuesday, 15 September 2020
A new study has shown HGV drivers drive much more safely when there are cameras in their cabs monitoring their behaviour.
Computer scientists and driving psychologists from the University of Nottingham analysed data collected before and after the installation of unobtrusive cameras in the cabs of Heavy Good Vehicles (HGV) and found there is a significant reduction of risky driving behaviours with camera monitoring, and that this is even more effective when coupled with coaching. Their findings have been published in Accident Analysis and Prevention Journal.
Driving errors and violations are the leading determinants of road safety and this research highlights the importance of understanding the safety implications of risky driving styles and the extent of the influence of driver-monitoring technologies in improving driving behaviour.
The researchers analysed the largest dataset ever undertaken for this type of research looking at 669 HGVs for the longest period of time ever investigated - June 2017 to August 2019. They analysed three safety critical telematicsincidents - harsh braking, harsh cornering and over speeding incidents. The research was split into cameras with and without the addition of coaching.
The data showed that monitoring and educating drivers with coaching about the risk and consequence of their driving styles has a significantly greater effect in reducing driving errors, with this intervention reducing harsh-braking by 16%, over-speeding by 34% and harsh-cornering by 31%. Without the coaching these percentages dropped to 4%, 28% and -13%.
The research also showed that weather or seasonal changes can influence HGV risky driving behaviours with highest rates of driving incidents observed during spring and summer seasons. This is likely due to the vast majority of families taking their summer holidays at this time, thereby creating busier roads and tailgating.
Jimiama Mosima Mafeni Mase, PhD researcher with the Horizon Centre for Doctoral Training at the University of Nottingham who conducted the research under the supervision of Dr Grazziela Figueredo, Dr Peter Chapman and Dr Mercedes Torres Torres, said: “As drivers are made aware of their monitoring especially with the use of cameras, they become conscious and improve their driving behaviours. With the affordability of in-vehicle cameras, the government can enforce policies that enables all HGV companies to install cameras in their vehicles for safety purposes. We are aware of the privacy concerns with collecting and storing videos of drivers, however, experts in data privacy can guide decision makers on how to efficiently implement such policies. In addition, decision makers can provide incentives to encourage frequent coaching of HGV drivers using the videos collected during monitoring as educating drivers has shown to significantly improve their driving styles”.
We observed that driving violations such as over speeding are harder to monitor with cameras and may require other factors or methods to detect their causes. Therefore, more multidisciplinary research and collaboration is required between computer scientists, psychologists and human factor specialists to develop more advanced driver assistance systems that can incorporate more information such as external factors and drivers’ affective states to accurately detect the cause of incidents or risky driving behaviours.”
This large-scale study is really significant in showing how important monitoring and coaching is in changing driving behaviour. With further support from policy makers and HGV companies the findings from this research could be an important step in improving the safety of our roads.
Story credits
More information is available from Jimiama Mafeni Mase on Jimiama.mafenimase1@nottingham.ac.uk or Jane Icke, Media Relations Manager for the Faculty of Science at the University of Nottingham, on +44 (0)115 951 5751 or jane.icke@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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