Using telematics with COVID-19
Many drivers have continued to drive throughout lockdown and more will be joining them from 1 May.
The contact that these drivers have with different people and environments puts them at a higher risk. Consequently, many South Africans could face many difficulties if they contracted the virus or were to contract the virus which could impact their income.
Drivers who do not have paid sick leave available may be tempted to return to work as soon as their quarantine ends but before fully recovered and consequently take medication while driving. The managing director of Legratron Electronics, Itumeleng Matshego, explains:
“Driving can be negatively affected by certain over-the-counter medications.
“The main reason that it can be difficult to drive properly while using medication is because it often causes fatigue. You can identify when a driver is fatigued or potentially took medication when they weave in and out of traffic, brake harshly because they react to hazards last minute, drive at inconsistent speeds as their attention waxes and wanes and they make other critical mistakes.”
This is where telematics become essential.
“The driver’s current driving behaviour can be compared against the history of data that you have on their behaviour to identify a change. This can help you quickly see a dangerous change in driving behaviour that can be rectified before the problem becomes a disaster or worse, a tragedy.”
Similar use can be made of telematics to identify illicit use of medication or drugs.
“The use of drugs is one of the most difficult things to detect as a test like the one used to identify alcohol in a person’s system does not exist. If you detect a consistent change in your driver’s behaviour, from their previous driving behaviour, this should motivate further investigation.”
The important thing is to never underestimate the use of telematics.
“Whether you are concerned about drivers using medication while driving this winter or about new but consistent changes in driving behaviour, telematics is your tool to confirm whether it needs more attention or not,”
says Matshego.
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