University College London (UCL) has received £140k funding from The Road Safety Trust to evaluate the role of telematics in reducing speed violations among drivers and riders in the delivery sector.
The Road Safety Trust, dedicated to achieving zero deaths and serious injuries on UK roads, awarded over £1million of funding for technology-focussed road safety projects through its main theme grants in 2021.
The project aims to explore the role of telematics in reducing speed violations amongst drivers and riders in the delivery sector and how this technology can be used as a risk management tool. Telematics work by providing feedback on a range of driver behaviors such as speeding and harsh braking and can be used to identify risky behaviors.
Nicola Christie, Professor at UCL’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering says: “It is estimated that over 500 fatalities a year involve someone who drives for work. The growth of e-commerce and home delivery is associated with a rapid increase in vans and people working in the gig economy. Delivery work is highly pressurised, and many drivers report that they are likely to violate speed limits which is a key risk factor for crashes and injury. Our study focuses on exploring how telematics can be used to manage this risk factor to support safer and more sustainable delivery work and reduce the risk they pose to themselves and other road users”
Sally Lines, chief executive of The Road Safety Trust says: “We really welcome the project from University College London, as it has a clear link to how technology can be used to improve road safety and in turn help us work towards our vision of zero deaths and serious injuries on UK roads.”
The Road Safety Trust is the largest independent road safety grant-giver in the UK and funds vital research and practical interventions committed to reducing the number of people killed or injured on UK roads. Since it was established in 2014, The Road Safety Trust has awarded grants worth £3.9m to 56 different projects.
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