Improving the safety of those who drive as part of their occupation is essential in not only safeguarding the health and safety of workers, but also the general public. This is why it is so important to ensure that fleet management companies are managed efficiently with their DOT compliance up to date. In fact, healthy and safety is also one of the reasons why large haulage companies like DPD and UPS in addition to ride-share businesses like UBER have invested heavily in making sure they are reducing the risk of dangerous accidents. Haulage companies especially, due to the load they are carrying and how it can be an extra safety precaution during a crash. Let alone the amount of money they will lose by destroying whatever is being transported, despite any haulage accessories that may be in place. And similarly for UBER drivers who have the responsibility of at least one other person on their shoulders for 95% of their work. And these are just 2 examples.

One of the new developments in the world of driver safety is the use of simulation as a form of both training and accident prediction. Here are some of the ways driver simulation is improving the performance of career drivers on the road.

• It is creating a better training platform for drivers

A lot of the current criticism around driving safety programmes is the heavy reliance on classroom learning and the lack of practical benefits that can be taken away. The new driver simulation software is dealing with this. Developed by Millbrook, the new software offers immediate feedback and covers the following parameters amongst others:

• Changing weather conditions
• Eye movement
• Blink rate
• Head motion tracking
• Drowsiness
• Hand reactions

This is not a comprehensive list, the software creates a wide range of feedback areas on which drivers can improve their performance on the road and increase the company’s driver safety.

• It helps bridge the gap between vehicle and driver

With increased technological development comes more technological integration between humans and machines. This is especially true in the automotive industry where driverless cars are putting more power in the hands of the driver.

The new simulation software developed is helping to ease drivers into the greater synergy they will have with the vehicle they are operating. Areas like assisted braking and distance checks will become something future professional drivers are familiar with.

• The software creates useful data for companies

When developing cars, the new technology and drastic changes mean a lot has to be done to ensure the new features are compatible with human drivers. The simulation software helps companies to test changes without having to ‘live-test’ them on real cars. This makes it easier for them to assess the safety of the new features when drivers interact with them.

Driver safety will continue to evolve over time

Driver simulation is just one area which is trying to improve the safety of modern cars on the road, and is something that is often discussed in the world of health and safety. Areas like driver telematics and assisted driving are going to become more common and staying up to date with the latest changes will become increasingly critical to keeping drivers safe on the roads and within the workplace.