FleetGuardian Launches on the Geotab Marketplace

TAMPA, Fla. - Dec. 6, 2017 - PRLog -- FleetGuardian(™), a technology solution for reducing accidents caused by mobile phone distracted driving, is now available on the Geotab Marketplace, an extensive ecosystem of business-focused applications, software Add-Ins and Add-Ons for Geotab customers.

Road fatalities have increased 14% between 2014 and 2016, and in a recent study, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 27% of motor vehicle accidents are attributed to mobile phone distractions.  FleetGuardian delivers a practical approach that leverages technology to reduce the distractions from using mobile technologies while driving, keeping drivers safe, and reducing accidents and fatalities.

Ron Pothul, co-founder and inventor of the device states, "As a former safety director for Verizon, and a father whose daughter was involved in an accident caused by texting and driving, I realized the importance of using mobile phones safely. That's why I created FleetGuardian, to help drivers stay connected in the safest possible way, and in compliance with all federal and state regulations."

Geotab, a global leader in telematics, brings FleetGuardian to the Geotab Marketplace to help provide fleets of all sizes with a tool to end distracted driving. The Geotab Marketplace serves over 14,000 customers with over 900,000 active subscribers utilizing Geotab's unique open-platform for their fleet management needs.

"Improving road safety around the world is a main priority for Geotab," says Joey Marlow, Geotab's Executive Vice President of U.S. Operations. "FleetGuardian enables fleets to equip their drivers with the tools to help prevent distracted driving and we are excited to be able to offer this solution on the Geotab Marketplace."

The technology is sophisticated, but the idea is really simple, preventing all hand-held mobile phone use while driving, prevents accidents.  The FleetGuardian safety box is installed on the vehicle's dashboard along with a small tag on the driver's phone, and connected to the Geotab platform.  The box secures and monitors the phone while driving, and provides reports directly to the user's MyGeotab dashboard.  The tagged phone is out of sight and reach while the vehicle is moving.  It is a simple way to ensure drivers can still stay connected with Bluetooth, but without the manual and visual distractions of the phone.

In a 2016 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety report, 70% of drivers say hand-held phone use by driver is completely unacceptable, and 72% support a total ban on hand-held phone use.  Despite this awareness, 40% of them admit to reading a text or email while driving in the past 30 days.  Like all addictions, the physical and mental needs outweigh the associated dangers.  Numerous studies continue to validate the growing danger mobile phones present to drivers of all ages.

Companies with fleets are also feeling the sting financially.  Besides rising insurance premiums, the National Safety Council concludes the average cost of a highway crash is upwards of $24,000 per incident.

We all know taking your eyes off the road while driving, for any reason, is inherently dangerous and a serious problem.  Technology plays a large part increasing the danger, so it makes sense that technology like FleetGuardian will play a part in reducing it.

About FleetGuardian

FleetGuardian eliminates the manual and visual distractions caused by mobile phone use, and delivers the safest in-vehicle solution for helping drivers keep their eyes on the road, hands on the wheel, and in compliance with federal and state regulations.  To learn more please visit www.fleetguardian.com.

About Geotab

Geotab securely connects commercial vehicles to the internet, providing advanced web-based analytics to better manage your fleet. Geotab's open platform and Marketplace, offering hundreds of third-party solution options, allows both small and large businesses to automate operations by integrating vehicle data with a company's other data assets. As an IoT hub, the in-vehicle device provides additional functionality through IOX Add-Ons. Processing more than 1 billion data points a day, Geotab leverages big data and machine learning to improve productivity, optimize fleets through the reduction of fuel consumption, enhance driver safety, and achieve stronger compliance to regulatory changes. The company's products are represented and sold worldwide through its Authorized Geotab Resellers. To learn more, please visit www.geotab.com and follow us @GEOTAB and on LinkedIn.