A new technology known as wearable biometric monitors is currently being fine-tuned. Tech companies that are busy developing these devices are hopeful that their technology will be able to hone in on when long-haul truck drivers are drowsy. This technology will be able to send truckers an alert to wake up if it notes this.
There’s no exact data for how often drowsiness is to blame for truck accidents; however, some veteran truckers argue that it could be responsible for as much as 70% of them. Many truck drivers attribute their crashes to unexpected roadwork when their fatigue is more likely to blame for it.
Maven Machines is one of many companies that are on the front lines working on technology that can sense and report driver behaviors to their truck’s data system. They’re developing a headset that would allow employers and government regulators to track a trucker’s eye and cheek movements. This tends to change as a motorist gets increasingly tired. This same system would also be able to track the trucker’s speed, weather conditions and route.
Another company, Optalert, is busy working on special glasses that would allow fleet companies to keep track of a trucker’s eye blinking rate. If it were to record a record that a truck driver left their eyelids down too long, then the system might assume that the tractor-trailer operator has fallen asleep. The on-board dashboard monitor would sound an alarm and report the finding to pre-selected individuals if it deemed that this had happened.
Many trucking advocacy groups argue that the inclusion of this technology on their trucks invades the operator’s privacy. The manufacturers of these devices argue that they see it as a tool meant to help hold them accountable instead. These tech startups argue that these devices will teach truckers how to notice early signs of fatigue and that they will encourage them to take a break at the first sign of drowsiness.
If anti-drowsiness technology were developed, this could have a positive impact on trucker safety and result in fewer accidents. This has happened since regulators started requiring truckers to keep digital logs instead of paper ones.
Accidents will likely continue until this technology is more widely available. An attorney can advise you of your right to recover medical costs if you’re hurt in such a crash here in Waco or anywhere else in Texas.
Michael Zimmerman
Michael was born in Houston, Texas. His education at Baylor and Texas State Universities earned him a Bachelor of Science degree in 1987. His major was in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry. He finished his legal education at Texas Southern University in 1990, earning a Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1990.
Rate this Post
Loading...