Geotab expands driver and pedestrian safety work with partnerships

Geotab has announced two new partnerships with safety-focused associations:  Vision Zero Network and Together for Safer Roads. Amplifying Geotab's commitment to safer and more connected communities, both Vision Zero Network and Together for Safer Roads are dedicated to helping communities improve road safety and reduce traffic fatalities and injuries.

Leveraging a network of over 1.2 million connected vehicles, Geotab currently provides advanced analytics and data-driven insights to help local governments progress towards their road safety goals. Through partnerships with Vision Zero Network and Together for Safer Roads, Geotab gains increased opportunities to provide actionable insights to municipalities across the United States who are dedicated to enhancing safety and reducing traffic fatalities and injuries.

"Finding ways to improve road safety and efficiency has always been a top priority for Geotab," said Jean Pilon-Bignell, Associate VP, Government and Smart City at Geotab. "Working with two outstanding safety-focused organizations, such as Vision Zero Network and Together for Safer Roads, aligns Geotab with an ecosystem of cities and citizen stakeholders working towards traffic and pedestrian safety initiatives that can help save lives."

The Vision Zero Network supports communities with the framework and strategies needed to help eliminate traffic fatalities and injuries while increasing safety and mobility. Municipalities committed to achieving the "Vision Zero" objective of eliminating traffic fatalities within their communities develop a data-driven systematic approach to effectively prioritize safe environments for all road users, whether walking, bicycling, driving or riding transit.

Taking an active role with cities and organizations, Together for Safer Roads is a coalition of private sector companies focused on improving road safety and reducing road-related deaths and injuries. Bringing together stakeholders from around the world, Together for Safer Roads focuses on a collaborative approach to developing solutions to road safety issues.

"We are uniquely positioned to help educate municipalities on road safety conditions and driving behaviors that can ultimately help create safer communities for all," added Pilon-Bignell. "These partnerships help to accelerate Geotab's safety vision today, and into the future." 

With safety serving as one of the company's main business pillars, Geotab today also announced the availability of SafeRide on the Geotab Marketplace. Helping fleets curb distracted driving, the software-based solution from SafeRide detects when a driver begins driving and automatically locks their phone by muting all incoming alerts and preventing screen use.

"Distracted driving has become a prevalent issue plaguing our society," said Scott Rownin, CEO, SafeRide. "By providing fleet managers with the tools needed to help minimize distractions and promote safer behavior, SafeRide along with companies like Geotab, are ultimately helping to create a better and safer world for all."

To further amplify the increasing need to eliminate distracted driving, Geotab is launching its Responsibility on Both Sides of the Wheel campaign. Aimed at raising awareness of the importance of staying alert as both drivers and pedestrians, Geotab's newest initiative will kick-off with an inaugural "Phones Down, Eyes Up" event on September 23, 2018. Hosted in honor of Brandon Walli, the event aims to bring families and youth together to learn about programs, partnerships and solutions, like SafeRide, that focus on reducing traffic and pedestrian-related collisions in local communities.

"In our increasingly connected world it is becoming more and more important to ensure we are not distracted by the technology that is at our fingertips," stated Geotab CEO, Neil Cawse. "It is absolutely essential that we continue to inspire and unify our communities to take a stance against distracted driving and walking and help to catalyze the message that putting our phones down and keeping our eyes up, is all of our responsibility."