Fleets Reduce Collisions 23% in Three Years
New data indicates that safety technology including dash cams are helping both automotive and truck fleets to reduce risky driver behaviors and crashes.
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In 2022, overall risky driving behaviors on the part of fleet drivers improved by 29% over 2019, according to Lytx’s fifth annual State of the Data report for trucks and vehicle fleets. Collisions per 1,000,000 miles driven also dropped, resulting in a 23% decrease from 2019 to 2022.
The report is based on over 36 billion miles of new driving data captured through Lytx’s DriveCam Event Recorders from real-world fleets that are Lytx customers. The latest data indicates that drivers utilizing Lytx technology and safety programs are experiencing long-term improvements in safe driving, notes the company.
Lytx captured more than 14 million risky driving incidents within vehicle fleets in 2022. However, several risky driving behaviors improved from 2021 to 2022. For example, the behavior that improved most was drivers failing to scan the roadway — dropping by 18%.
Other risky behaviors that ranked among the top five for greatest improvement include staring blankly, which decreased 16%, and driving too fast for conditions, which was down 11%. Seat belt compliance improved, too, with drivers unbelted on a residential road down 10%. Finally, drivers also experienced a decrease in veering off identifiable roadways, which dropped by 9%.
Noteworthy, while various driving habits improved over the last year, “driving too fast for conditions” was also the number one improved risky driving habit when comparing 2022 to 2020, down 52%. And, it was the number two improved habit — down 74% — when comparing 2022 to 2019.
The report also explores where the riskiest driving takes place. New York City remained the number one riskiest driving city for the second consecutive year. Others that ranked among the top five riskiest driving cities include Philadelphia, which took second place, followed by Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas/ Fort Worth.
The data also spotlights factors that can impact the chances for a collision — such as specific times of day and particular days of the week. For example, in 2022, the highest total number of collisions occurred during the daytime hours (6 a.m.- 4 p.m.), with the most occurring at 11 a.m. Alternatively, the highest collisions per vehicle (those on the road at each hour) occurred in the middle of the night (2 a.m.-6 a.m.), with 2 a.m. the most likely time for a collision.
As for days of the week, in 2022, the highest collisions per vehicle occurred on Tuesdays. Saturdays were the safest day of the week, with the lowest collisions per vehicle. Sundays were the second lowest.
Other noteworthy findings from the report include the fact that most collisions — nearly 84% — occurred in clear weather. Some 13% of crashes occurred during rainy weather, but only approximately 3% happened in snowy weather and 0.1% in foggy conditions.
For fleets in rural areas, it’s important to know that animal strikes continue to rise — up 27% in 2022 as compared with 2019. In fact, hitting an animal accounted for nearly 30% of the collisions in clear weather and over 9% in rainy conditions. In contrast, fixed objects accounted for approximately 12% of accidents in clear conditions and 16% in rainy conditions.