CTA weighs in on telematics debate

OTTAWA (Sept. 5, 2003) — The Canadian Trucking Alliance has called Transport Canada’s reservations with in-vehicle telematics “misplaced,” and is asking the government to broaden its focus in reducing collisions caused by all sources of driver distraction.

Concerned with the proliferation of telematics devices that may affect road safety, Transport Canada published a discussion paper in the Canada Gazette Part 1 that deals with reducing driver distraction from in-vehicle telematics devices earlier this summer. The government is concerned that current efforts by both the telematics and vehicle manufacturing industries may not effectively control the amount of driver distraction from telematics devices. The paper discusses a variety of approaches — both voluntary and regulatory — to control the industry.

The CTA maintains that while driver distraction is an important road safety issue, in-vehicle telematic devices like GPS mapping systems, wireless communications, and collision warning devices, are not the main cause of collisions where driver distraction is a factor, and in fact increase road safety.

According to David Bradley, CEO of the CTA, “the focus on telematics is misplaced. Transport Canada should broaden its focus to determine the most appropriate action to reduce collisions caused by all sources of driver distraction.”

For an in-depth review of the telematics debate, be sure to check out the October issue of Today’s Trucking.