How Many Commercial Drivers Operate without Seatbelts?

Verizon Connect, a fleet management solutions provider, released surprising new research findings revealing commercial drivers’ risky road behavior.

According to a study by the Data Science Team at Verizon Connect, one in ten commercial drivers are operating vehicles without fastening their seat belts. Based on a comprehensive analysis of over 7 million dashcam footage videos, the investigation also showed a related concerning trend — 64% of trucking drivers killed in automobile accidents were not wearing seat belts.

Another significant discovery from the study was that 40% of the dashcam videos indicated vehicles exceeding posted speed limits. Speeding has been a persistent contributor to motor vehicle fatalities, accounting for approximately one-third of all such incidents over the past two decades.

Combatting Unsafe Commercial Driving Behaviors

In response to these findings, Verizon Connect is doubling its commitment to driver safety and operational efficiency for work truck fleet managers. The company is introducing a series of new AI Dashcam enhancements, including AI tags for speeding and unfastened seat belt detection. These additions empower fleet managers to analyze and prioritize harsh driving events more effectively, fostering better coaching opportunities for drivers and improving overall driver safety.

Lisa Donnelly, the Associate Director of Product Management at Verizon Connect, emphasized the transformative potential of video for fleets, stating, “Video is a transformational medium for fleets, boosting operations as well as driver safety. Our research and ongoing enhancements to Verizon Connect’s Integrated Video are part of our commitment to provide our customers with a best-in-class experience when it comes to fleet management.”

The new AI tags for speeding and unfastened seat belt detection were launched in the second quarter of 2023, offering businesses greater operational efficiencies and enhanced driver safety.

Additionally, Verizon Connect has improved its Cloud AI (Video Analytics Engine) to provide additional context to each video, streamlining the time needed for fleet managers to identify urgent matters.

The company has also taken measures to improve dashcam reliability. The Camera Health feature alerts Integrated Video customers of any issues with their dashcams and offers self-remediation steps to resolve these issues promptly. The enhanced Cloud AI and Camera Health allow fleet managers to pinpoint coaching opportunities for better driving behaviors.

Verizon Connect now offers an option for a 256 GB SD card, significantly increasing storage capacity. This upgrade enables Verizon Connect AI Dashcam users to store and retrieve more on-demand video clips. The extended storage capacity proves particularly beneficial for customers operating in areas with limited network coverage, as it allows them to capture more footage and use it as evidence against false claims, recall incidents of road rage, or review events where driver safety was compromised.