Open Road - Winter 2026
Safety Corner
Jessica Sears 2026-01-24 14:10:33
DRIVER MONITORING SYSTEMS Increasing Safety On The Road
Driving, even on a day with perfect conditions, is rife with safety risks. Because long-haul drivers drive for lengthy periods, they often experience fatigue, distractions or other impairments. Research shows that driving while drowsy has similar effects on the human body as driving drunk. In fact, drowsy driving is responsible for 72,000 crashes, 44,000 injuries and more than 800 deaths annually in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
But new technology could help mitigate these risks and limit the potential for risky scenarios. Driver monitoring systems (DMS), employ artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze a driver’s behavior and look for signs of fatigue, distraction or a visual impairment. From there, the DMS issues a signal, often through an audio alert, flashing light on the instrument panel or seat vibration, to warn the driver if they’re exhibiting any risky behaviors, such as falling asleep or veering into another lane. In severe cases, a DMS could take active control of the vehicle to slow it down or steer it to the side of the road to avoid a collision.
The North America market for DMS accounted for 34.2 percent of the global share in 2024. This is driven by increased government regulations on driver safety, growing investment in AI-powered fleet safety solutions and expanding commercial vehicle fleets. Other mandates, such as the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s focus on reducing distracted driving, have also contributed.
How Does It Work?
DMS rely on face-related technologies to track a driver’s facial movements, head positions and eye focus. Highdefinition cameras should be used and placed in the driver’s cabin. These, coupled with advanced software, can detect a driver’s behaviors and send out signals when needed. The AI gets to know each driver, learning their individual driving habits, so they’re able to distinguish between normal behavior and a potentially dangerous deviation. Through head tracking, DMS can detect if a driver tilts or nods their head, which is often an early sign of fatigue. If a driver looks away for too long, the AI will automatically recognize this as a distraction. Or if a driver closes their eyes for several seconds, DMS will take this as a sign the driver could be falling asleep. Microphones or external sensors can also be used to assess ambient noise or vehicle conditions for additional context.
If a driver veers too close to the next lane or the system detects a lane drift, it will trigger a “lane keep” warning. Sensors can be installed to detect whether a driver is tailgating or getting a little too close to the car in front of them. If this happens, those sensors will issue a “safe distance” alert. Drivers who frequently brake hard might need a route reevaluation, as this can often indicate too many stops or heavy traffic. Systems can send managers and supervisors annotated video clips and biometrics to help create a behavioral audit trail. The goal of DMS isn’t to micromanage — it’s to increase safety and prevent accidents. And some insurers offer discounts for fleets who use DMS because of their accident prevention measures.
But the systems do more than just track a driver’s behavior. A GPS vehicle tracking extension can provide supervisors with information about a vehicle’s current location to ensure that a driver is using the most optimal route. DMS can diminish any risks posed by medical emergencies. Because DMS gets to know a driver’s usual heart rate, the system can detect any sudden changes in driving behavior that could alert that driver to pull over or contact emergency services. This can be lifesaving. If there is an incident or collision, DMS will record relevant data leading up to the crash. This is significant information for accident reconstruction, liability assessment and improving safety protocols — DMS shows if a driver handled everything correctly prior to a collision. If a crash does happen, it’s important to recalibrate your DMS to ensure it remains accurate.
What Are the Cons?
The thought of feeling “tracked” is often a negative for many drivers. No one likes to feel micromanaged. It’s best to frame DMS as a “safety partner,” rather than a “surveillance device.” For supervisors, it’s important to not unfairly penalize your drivers for not having “perfect” behavior. Aside from safety, detection should also be meant for optimization, not punishment. Some drivers also have privacy concerns when it comes to behavioral data storage. And too many false alerts might desensitize drivers to a real threat. To help combat these valid apprehensions, invest in driver education, customizable alert thresholds and systems with driver consent features to promote trust.
Implementation
It’s up to companies to determine how involved they’d like their DMS to be. Do they want to simply monitor specific driver behavior like tailgating or veering too close to the next lane? Or do they want an all-encompassing AI program that assesses drivers’ moods, abnormal behaviors and health?
The cost of implementing DMS can feel daunting. It’s recommended to start with a pilot program to see how DMS works for your company and drivers. A pilot allows for a small-scale test of this AI technology to assess how it fits into dispatch, analytics, vehicle maintenance and training workflows. Because DMS generates a high volume of alerts, video clips and behavioral metrics, a pilot allows teams to verify the data feeds, analytics capacity and whether their current systems can ingest and act on the data. Your company can also assess if the technology even makes a difference when it comes to safety.
Looking Ahead
The DMS market size reached $1.75 billion in 2024 and is only expected to grow — $2.69 billion by 2029. This growth is due to growing safety regulations, concerns around road safety, AI innovations, and corporate initiatives for fleet safety. DMS will continue to become part of training datasets for semi- and fully autonomous trucks. The goal is to continue evolving the technology to include wearables to track heart rate, hydration levels and stress; AI detection of anger and anxiety that could impair driving; and interfaces that will adapt to a driver’s alertness level in real time.
Sources:
www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com
WHY TO USE A DMS
• Enhances safety: By continuously monitoring a driver’s behavior and attentiveness, the system can alert the driver of potential hazards or distractions, which helps prevent accidents.
• Prevents accidents: Collision avoidance technologies help prevent fleet accidents by alerting drivers when they’re exhibiting risky behavior.
• Reduces fatalities and injuries: DMS has the potential to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries on the road through their alert systems.
• Complies with regulations: Installing DMS can help vehicle manufacturers ensure compliance with safety regulations and avoid penalties and legal issues.
• Insurance benefits: By monitoring risky driving habits and providing feedback to drivers, DMS can help companies reduce accidents, vehicle downtime and maintenance costs.
• Enhances the user experience: Some systems can adjust vehicle settings based on the driver’s preferences or provide personalized feedback to help drivers improve their driving habits.
• Helps with driver exoneration: DMS allows fleet managers and business owners to successfully fight off false litigation through driver mapping.
Source: www.binarysemantics.com
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Safety Corner
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