The first self-driving auto fatality in the U.S. once again raises the question for this risk industry vet: Are In-car Technologies Influencing Dangerous Driving Behaviors?

By Art Liggio, President, Driving Dynamics

On May 7 Joshua D. Brown an Ohio resident in his 40s was killed in Florida when he drove under the trailer of an 18-wheel semi truck while operating his Tesla Model S in “Autopilot” mode

Getting beyond the sensational headlines and the tragic loss, what can we learn from this incident? Is there something new to learn here or does it remind us of safety principles already proven but largely ignored? The answer is “yes” on both counts.

Regarding “safety principles already proven but largely ignored” should be, I believe, of significant concern to fleet operators and safety professionals. What I’m referring to here is the concept of Risk Compensation, which can be explained as: the more protected a person feels, the less cautiously the individual behaves. The principles of which have been well demonstrated and proven. To provide added insight on this concept, following is an article I wrote many years ago but which still has relevance today—perhaps more so now that in-car technologies designed to aid driving are more quickly being developed and introduced.

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Maximizing significant investment in your work trucks can be a whole lot easier when you have the right logistics partner.

In this first of their white paper series, AmeriFleet takes a look at how things like turnkey deployment, advanced licensing services and a culture of safety can make your work truck operation actually work smarter, faster and more profitably!

Find out how and save yourself a mountain of headaches and high costs — download the white paper here.

A new tool from ARI, a leading global fleet services provider specializing in complex car and truck fleets, has simplified how fleet managers can measure the performance of their drivers—and improve their companies’ bottom lines—with the new ARI Driver Scorecard.

For years, fleet managers have been inundated by data without an efficient way of translating the numbers into action. The ARI Driver Scorecard is the first tool to allow fleet and safety managers to process all of this information, based on the priorities of the organization, into one simple score that not only empowers them to improve their team’s efficiency and safety, but motivates the drivers improve their own performance.

“With this tool, drivers can easily compare themselves to their peers,” said Rich Radi, director of the ARI Global Driver Excellence Program. “Everyone wants to excel at what they do, so we work with our clients to tap into this part of human nature and encourage better driving habits across the board.”

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The Detroit Bureau

If you’ve driven a car, truck or SUV, you’ve most likely engaged in it. It can come out of the blue or just be the climax of a rough day at work followed by an even rougher commute home: road rage.

A new study shows that about 80% of U.S. drivers exhibited some form of “anger, aggression or road rage” at least once in the last year.

These actions can range from a simple glare for a motorist driving too slowly in the fast lane or showing someone you think they are “No. 1″ even though they drive like “No. 2″ after being cut off.

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By John Wolford, Director of Vendor and Client Services, CEI

If you seem to notice that collision repairs are costing more than they used to, you’re right.

According to CCC Information Systems, a source of data for the auto insurance industry, since the end of 2008 the average cost to repair a damaged vehicle rose more than 13%, from $2,399 to $2,766 in 2015.

What’s the cause? Greg Horn, a vice president at Mitchell International, another provider of auto insurance claims data, attributes most of the increase to the rising cost of parts.

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By Ed Pierce, Fleet Industry Marketer

Fleet industry marketers know the limitations of social network “vanity” metrics (i.e., likes, followers, shares, clicks). They may indicate progress, but measuring real social network value takes a much deeper dive, requiring more sophisticated tools.

Fortunately, technology has evolved to the point where attribution of social network value is a reality. While we are focused on lead generation, click here for a helpful chart that cites advocacy business unit value more broadly.

For sales and marketing, determining the origin of web traffic and tracking what happens to a lead after it is received are the critical factors.

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The Washington Post

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will begin to reward hackers who expose deficiencies in its car’s software.

Using Bugcrowd, a platform that connects researchers to firms looking to eliminate technical defects, FCA will award hackers up to $1,500 for reporting vulnerabilities in its so-called “bug bounty” program.

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The Washington Post

Getting pulled over sucks. There’s no way around it. It’s inconvenient, nerve-wracking, embarrassing, scary and pricey, if an officer gives you a ticket. Yes, it is quite terrible.

But the traffic laws for which you’re getting pulled over, as much as we hate them, really do make a difference.

Data compiled by the Auto Insurance Center, the same group that brought you stats on #drivingselfies, shows just how influential these regulations can be. Across the board, states with tougher driving laws see fewer motorists die on their roadways.

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New York Times

Jeanne Robillard has headlight envy.

She lives in Bethlehem, N.H., and drives her 2005 Toyota RAV4 through the White Mountains, on dark and lonely two-lane roads, which are often shared with bear, moose or deer.

But when she gets into someone else’s car at night, she often notices her headlights could be much better.

“I go, wow, their headlights are really good,” she said.

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Bloomberg

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department for fraud, according to people familiar with the matter.

Prosecutors are scrutinizing whether the carmaker violated U.S. securities laws, they said. The inquiry is in early stages, according to two people, who asked not to be identified because the investigation is confidential and declined to specify what conduct is being investigated.

A civil lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler may provide clues about what prosecutors are looking at. A Chicago-area dealer alleges the company inflated its U.S. car sales by paying dealers to report selling more vehicles than they actually did.

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