SmartDrive Systems, provider of video-based driver safety programmes has become a FORS Associate.

The special FORS Associate position recognises SmartDrive, alongside over 85 other companies, as a provider of FORS-approved products and services to bring greater levels of safety, efficiency and environmental protection to CV operators.

The video-based platform to help operators proactively manage and improve driver behaviour and reduce risk. With this focus on driver improvement and efficiency, the company chose to become a FORS Associate in order to support fleets who are striving for best practice.

SmartDrive offers forward and interior facing cameras and can also integrate with up to 2 additional cameras, such as side or rear, for a more comprehensive view. The cameras are triggered to record by pre-determined variables and can also be manually activated by the driver should an incident occur.

Footage is offloaded via the cellular network and is reviewed, categorised and scored by a dedicated team of specialists and uploaded to a personalised portal for review, enabling transport managers to quickly gain an unbiased view of situations that occur.

With the combination of video, driving intelligence and personalised performance profiles, SmartDrive provides fleet operators with a comprehensive view of risky driving behaviour, giving them the right tools to decrease preventable collisions, exonerate not-at-fault drivers and to recognise good driving practices – all through an easy to use managed service.

FORS members are now eligible for a free 90-day pilot for up to 25 vehicles, a 15% discount on all SmartDrive hardware and Assurance and Defender programmes based on a three-year contract, or a 10% discount on all SmartDrive hardware and Shield programme, based on a three-year contract.

“SmartDrive has been helping fleets identify and reduce risky driving behaviour, to drive down operating costs and save lives for over fourteen years. Research has shown that for every three hundred unsafe acts, there will be twenty-nine minor collisions and one major collision. We believe that the key to eliminating major collisions is working with fleets to tackle unsafe behaviours and this is where our managed service is most effective,” said Aidan Rowsome, vice president EMEA at SmartDrive.

“Our approval as a FORS Associate is a clear endorsement of our proactive approach to driver safety performance. We look forward to working closely with the FORS team and its members to help fleets achieve continuous improvement in on-road safety.”

Paul Wilkes, FORS business services manager said: ‘We’re delighted SmartDrive is on board with FORS. As a FORS Associate, SmartDrive is a true and valued partner in the quest to raise standards in the CV sector. SmartDrive has taken the latest technology and used it intuitively to help bring fleet managers even closer to their drivers and, ultimately, bring greater efficiency to the operation.”