Advertisement feature from Samsara

By Philip van der Wilt, SVP & General Manager, Samsara, EMEA

One thousand, seven hundred and eleven (1,711) people died on British roads in 2022 — an increase of 10% on figures from 2021. 

Of those, three hundred and three (303) people died because drivers were travelling above the speed limit — an increase of 20% compared to the year before.

A further twenty-eight thousand and thirty-one (28,031) people suffered serious injuries due to road accidents in 2022 – up 8% on the previous year.

These are the numbers — spelt out in full — that provide a sobering reminder about the dangers of travelling by road. And yet most of us rarely give it a second thought. 

It’s part of the reason why Road Safety Week — run by the charity Brake — has become such a focal point for campaigners. And it’s why Samsara is a proud supporter of an organisation that does so much to promote road safety.

Speed is one of the major causes of road deaths and injuries

This year, the theme is  ‘Let’s talk about speed’ — one of the ‘Fatal 5’ causes of serious injuries and deaths on our roads. As Brake puts it: “Five people die on roads every day, so why do we still think it’s OK to speed?”

Although the campaign is aimed at all drivers, Samsara’s position in the world of transport and physical operations — and our ongoing drive to make the world a safer place — means Road Safety Week is firmly on our radar.  

Safety — along with efficiency and sustainability — is one of the three founding pillars of what we do as a company. 

Our onboard dashcams — augmented with artificial intelligence (AI) – can spot and alert when drivers are using mobile phones or not wearing seatbelts. 

Our connected operations platform can identify harsh braking, speeding and aggressive driving — and feed that back to managers — so that it can be used to coach people to become better, safer, more thoughtful drivers. 

And in the event of an incident, the technology embedded in the vehicle not only records the event, it immediately alerts managers so they are aware — in seconds — of what’s happened.

Technology has a role in keeping people safe

Having our technology on board creates a lifeline between drivers and their managers so they know they are never on their own. 

Ultimately, though, despite all the training, coaching and technology, the decision whether to speed or not is down to the person behind the wheel. Being road-safe — whether you’re commuting to work or driving for a living — is about personal responsibility. 

After all, exceeding the speed limit is a decision only a driver can make. So too is using a mobile phone. Or driving aggressively. In fact, breaking any of the ‘Fatal 5’ is a conscious decision. A personal choice. 

Here at Samsara, we know our technology helps responsible drivers make better decisions. To be safer. 

But in the end, the decision to speed is down to every single one of us who gets behind the wheel. Road Safety Week is a timely reminder of the responsibility we must all share.