Trial should reduce traffic deaths caused by trucks

The number of
people who die each year in road traffic accidents must be reduced, says
TVM. For this reason, the insurance company has launched a trial involving 500
lorries. The aim is to reduce the number of road deaths to zero within five years
.

TVM CEO Arjan Bos is committed to making serious efforts to improve safety
on the roads. “TVM’s ambition is to make Dutch transport the safest
in the world.” TVM therefore wants to enter into binding agreements with drivers and
transport employers. Together with them, the insurance company intends to
investigate which methods work best to
further improve safety in the transport sector.

Bos explains in more detail what the company hopes to achieve with the trials: “What we’re doing in this trial is looking at how
we can best help drivers who are on the road at all hours of the day and night
get home safely to their families.” One of the measures they intend to
use is the ‘
eye-trackingapplication’, which alerts the driver if
they take their eyes off the road for three seconds. “This is an important tool
for the driver, as it detects fatigue and distraction. In addition,
we are working on other modules, for example to see if we can
tyre blowouts. We are currently working with a number of
drivers who have volunteered to see whether these methods work effectively and
are a useful addition to the measures already in place.”

Criticism FNV
The eye tracker has not been received positively by everyone. FNV thinks the cameras violate drivers' privacy. The union therefore recently started a signature campaign. According to FNV, the cameras are not the solution. Besides the lack of privacy, even more equipment in the truck would actually cause distractions. The union believes that research should be done to see whether better planning by transport companies could lead. Shorter working weeks could make drivers more alert.

Editorial LogistiekProfs