Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (Digi) launched the Digi Road Safety Programme 2019 to address rising concerns on road safety in the country. The programme uses telematics data to help commercial vehicle drivers become better, safer drivers.
The Malaysia Transport Statistics 2017 revealed an average of 2,034,893 daily traffic recorded in Peninsular Malaysia, and an average 154,015 in East Malaysia. In the same year, the Royal Malaysian Police reported 802,523 motor vehicles involved in road crashes. Also, Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) highlighted that human error contributed to 80% of the crashes in 2017 citing risky driving, speeding and fatigue as concerns.
Transport Minister, YB Tuan Anthony Loke said, “Even though current road safety statistics has improved, yet there is still more we can do to curb fatalities and serious injuries. Technology can be effective for better enforcement, implementation of interventions and safety compliance on roads; and telematics could help improve road safety and build trust in road users, in this case, commercial vehicle drivers.”
“Digi’s Road Safety Programme, and others like it, which are specifically aimed at changing driver behaviour for the long-term are important to raising our overall road safety standards,” said the Minister when officiating the launch event today.
Vehicle telematics is the technology of sending, receiving and storing information of vehicles and drivers, using devices connected to the internet. This technology can be used to improve road safety by monitoring driver behaviour, collecting vehicle data such as location, speed, acceleration, braking and cornering. This data then helps commercial vehicle owners and drivers make more informed decisions to improve vehicle safety on the road, which is a key component of Digi’s Road Safety Programme 2019.
Safer commercial vehicle drivers, safer roads
Supported by the Ministry of Transport, the Road Safety Department of Malaysia (JKJR) and MIROS, Digi’s Road Safety Programme 2019 includes three comprehensive initiatives to help small and medium enterprise (SME) commercial vehicle owners start, train and sustain safety driving habits among their drivers:
- Start with the RM10 million iFleet Transformation Fund: Where 1,000 SMEs will receive up to RM10,000 each in discounts to kickstart their road safety journey by transforming their fleet with GPS Tracking, Wi-Fi and Video capabilities.
- Train with defensive driving professionals: Where drivers are equipped with a variety of techniques to prevent road crashes, and will each receive an official certificate of completion. Participating SMEs are entitled to a 15% discount off all training workshops, which are also 100% HRDF claimable.
- Sustain safe driving culture with driver rewards: Where the 10 safest drivers from each qualifying SME will be rewarded with Digi prizes for their excellent driving behaviour, based on their iFleet driving scores for the month.
Digi’s Chief Digital Officer, Praveen Rajan said, “We are proactively working to improve road safety with vehicle telematics, and are now using our readily available competencies to start other companies on this journey. Studies have revealed that telematics can influence reduced accident rates among commercial vehicle drivers. This is because the data collected enables owners to better plan routes and schedules, recommend driver training and implement disciplinary action where needed. We strongly believe telematics is a practical tool that can uniquely address road safety concerns by creating a long-term safety mindset among commercial vehicle drivers, whose trustworthiness on our roads contributes significantly to the safety of other road users.”
Digi’s Road Safety Programme is powered by iFleet, the company’s fleet management solution which provides real-time vehicle and driver behaviour information. The Programme is open to all SMEs, and will run from now until 31 December 2019.
To participate in Digi’s Road Safety Programme, visit digi.my/roadsafety.
