How policy can prevent the next tragedy.
When a driver sent 45 Snapchat messages from behind the wheel of her truck before ploughing the 30-tonne truck and trailer unit into a stationery ute last year, the driver of the ute was killed[1]. New Zealand vehicle safety and training experts AutoSense says the tragedy underscores the importance for businesses to have safeguards in place to protect their workforce from more preventable harm on our roads.
The safety business has installed almost 6,000 AI-powered Guardian by Seeing Machines systems inside New Zealand vehicles, enabling employers to monitor a driver’s facial movements such as glancing away, eye lid closures and yawning - then alerting them in real time to their fatigue and distraction while they are behind the wheel. Last year, the Guardian cameras captured 21,670 mobile phone distraction events by drivers on New Zealand roads, making up 41 percent of the total distraction events recorded on the cameras in the 12 months until 31 December 2024[2].
Charles Dawson, AutoSense CEO says alarmingly, the Guardian cameras recorded an average of 594 total distraction events and 417 total mobile phone events weekly, and between 9:00 am to 10:00 am more distractions occurred than at other times during the day and night.
“The peak distraction time aligns with the time when parents are setting out with pre-schoolers for morning activities, retirees and seniors are heading to appointments and shift workers may be finishing night shifts or heading to mid-morning shifts. People who are driving for work should be extra vigilant at this time of morning, and avoid potential driver behaviours such as phone use or vehicle adjustments.”
Dawson says that while they have been installing the world-leading Guardian technology in New Zealand vehicles since 2015, the business has recently launched its Safe Driving Policy service, aligned with the NZ Transport Agency’s safe driving practices and designed to help businesses reinforce responsible driving habits that can protect their teams and others on New Zealand roads.
“Last year an astounding 52,560 driver distraction events and 21,470 driver fatigue events were recorded by Guardian cameras. Driver distraction, drowsiness and fatigue is the biggest challenge in the transport sector today, and we’re working hard to help New Zealand businesses keep ahead of the game when it comes to safeguarding the safety of their people on the roads,” says Dawson.
“Utilising the technology means we can identify safety issues with drivers at work and provide education and training to mitigate these risks. By shedding light on the insights that the Guardian data provides us, we hope to influence driver behaviour, making driving on New Zealand’s roads safer for everyone,” he said.
It’s vital work. According to the NZ Transport Agency, there were 341 road fatalities in 2023[1] and about 25%[2] of road deaths and serious injuries are work related. The impact of that is far-reaching.
“The social cost of road fatalities to all New Zealanders is colossal. As well as the loss of life and life quality, there’s a loss of productivity, and big financial implications with medical costs, legal costs and property damage costs. In per-crash terms, this average social cost is estimated at $5,374,100 per fatal crash, $551,700 per serious injury crash and $30,800 per minor injury crash[3].
“In New Zealand we fall behind the rest of the world in mandating policy, and we urge all employers to step up and prioritise safe driving policies within their business. In addition to lowering operational costs and enhancing business continuity, a well-structured safe driving policy extends the protection to other road users.”
Dawson says the new Safe Driving Policy service provides businesses with a tailored policy aligned with the organisation’s needs.
“We have expertise to help businesses ensure compliance with New Zealand’s legal framework, and can give recommendations to help them manage their driver risks effectively, outline what to do with safety technology installed in work vehicles and what is expected of them, while assisting managers to roll out the policy across their organisation.
“This service provides peace of mind to both drivers and decision-makers, including owners and board directors who are responsible for the safety of all employees who drive a vehicle for work. This Chain of Responsibility is legislated in Australia[4]. As a country, New Zealand needs to follow this lead. Recently the Ports of Auckland CEO was prosecuted for a health and safety breach after the death of a worker. We can learn from this and push for the people that have influence over driver behaviour and compliance inside an organisation, to be held accountable when there is non-compliance with traffic laws. If they don’t, they can go to prison.”
Dawson believes implementing a safe driving policy is more than a compliance measure - it is a commitment to safeguarding lives and promoting a culture of responsibility.
“We urge New Zealand businesses and organisations to prioritise the safety of their people when they are driving for work,” adds Charles. “As we have tragically seen, the financial and human costs of neglecting it are just too high.”
AutoSense tips for safe mobile phone usage and hands-free
Drivers must focus on driving and avoid distractions. This means not using mobile phones or doing anything that diverts your attention away from the road.
If you need to use hands-free devices, minimise usage, use voice commands and DO NOT view devices or screens while driving.
Avoiding all other mobile devices unless the vehicle is parked.
It's recommended to use the Focus driving mode on your phone.
[1]https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/531325/snapchat-and-voice-messages-truckie-s-timeline-hours-before-fatal-crash
[2] Source: NZ Guardian Insights, 1 January 2024 – 31 December 2025
[4] https://www.transport.govt.nz/statistics-and-insights/safety-annual-statistics
[5] www.transport.govt.nz —Social Cost of Road Crashes and Injuries 2019
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