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The typical mid-sized moving company has anywhere from 20 to 30 trucks in their inventory, ranging from the small U Haul type of truck to big-rig size trucks for those big moves. With so many trucks driving so many different places, it’s crucial that fleet safety managers have a strong fleet safety program. Besides the normal elements of a safety program such as ongoing safety instruction and awareness and continuous fleet safety maintenance, fleet managers should also ensure that the fleet is installed with the latest and best safety devices. One such device is the Lane Departure Warning system, a necessary ingredient for any successful fleet safety program.

How does it work?
The Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system utilizes a simple enough forward facing camera that’s mounted inconspicuously on the front windshield. This “high-tech” camera then takes continuous pictures of the lane markings and then transmits that information to an electronic chip. That chip then is able to notify the driver of any unintentional lane swerving by both an audible rumbling sound and through a visual alert on the dashboard. This notification can be given to the driver even before he actually moves into the other lane, or if preferred, only once the driver begins to cross the lane. This high-tech system is so advanced that it can even read lane markings during inclement weather such as snow, rain, or a deep fog. Nighttime reading is also no problem for this high-tech device.

Picture the following scenario. Imagine that a moving van driver is caught in traffic and he’s trying to reach his destination in time. He calls his client to tell them that he is stuck in traffic, and without noticing it he swerves into the other lane. He hears a loud honking from a car that he failed to see in that lane. Luckily, he moves back into his lane just before he causes an accident. With the LDW system, this near miss would never have happened. That’s because as soon as the driver starts to unintentionally drift from his lane, he’s alerted by both an audible and visual alert. The near miss is averted and the driver continues on his way.

Driver-based technology systems improve fleet safety by reducing the number of accidents on the road.