We all like to think we drive well (myself included), but how much of an economical driver are we really?  Furthermore, could you confidently answer what an economical driver actually is?!

Tell me, what would your answer be if someone asked if you’re an efficient driver?  In fact, what would your answer be if someone asked you what efficient driving is?

These are questions we’ve been discussing in the Redtail office recently.

Lucky for us, Redtail devices and data enable us to scrutinise driving behaviours and vehicle performance in some detail.  This, in turn, helps us offer a unique view on driving in an efficient and economic manner.

So, we decided to put together a list of tips and tricks we thought you’d find useful.  Maybe you could consider some of these the next time you go for a drive.  Go on, give it a go!​

• Check your tyres
  • Underinflated tyres wear out faster and lose energy
• Maintain a consistent speed
  • If you have cruise control and you’re driving along a motorway – consider turning it on. If you’re driving along other roads, try to maintain as consistent a speed as you can.  Slowing down and speeding up all the time is inefficient
• Try to reduce the need for unnecessary acceleration and braking
  • If you accelerate quickly but smoothly, acceleration itself isn’t inefficient. However, if you accelerate to a higher speed than the roads allow and have to brake, you’ll unnecessarily need to accelerate again… and if your speed gets too high again you’ll need to brake again and the cycle continues
  • Try to reach a speed that suits the road you are on and maintain it so you aren’t accelerating and braking more than needed. It can use a lot of fuel and be a potential hazard
  • In city driving, nearly 50% of the energy needed to power your car goes to acceleration

A recent UK government Impact Study on Intelligent Mobility offers compelling data on the impact of ‘eco driving’.  The findings indicated a 5-15% reduction in emissions; a factor that improves fuel economy too!

More tips and tricks:

• Change gears at an appropriate time
  • Don’t stick in a low gear for too long as high revs can reduce fuel efficiency
• Anticipate traffic and the road ahead
  • If you see a queue ahead or traffic lights changing colour, try to slow gradually as you reach them not suddenly once you’re there
  • Slow deceleration (trying to avoid using the brake to stop suddenly or harshly) is much more economical and will reduce wear and tear on your brakes. So, it helps save on fuel and maintenance costs!
• Avoid idling
  • It wastes fuel and gets you nowhere
• Make sure you service your vehicle as often as the manufacturer advises
  • Vehicles with a less than optimal engine can use up to 50% more fuel and produce up to 50% more emissions than one that is running properly

The existence of telematics is nothing new but using telematics data as evidence in court might not be so familiar.  You are probably aware of the many other uses.  For example, in Usage-Based Insurance (UBI), fleet management and tracking, stolen vehicle tracking to name a few.  However, you perhaps have not heard of its use as evidence in court!

So, here’s the story of how Redtail Telematics device data helped the customer win their case in court!

Recently a road traffic incident went to court – Mitrasinovic versus Stroud – due to a dispute over who was at fault.  The car (owned by the defendant) had a Redtail Telematics black box device fitted.  The events of the incident were that a large motorcycle had entered a left-hand bend and met a Ford Ka at the apex of the same right hand bend.  The GPS trace recorded of the car at the time of the incident, may have suggested that the Ford Ka may have crossed the white line.  However, while GPS technology as a whole is great at telling us things such as time, place and speed of a vehicle, location accuracy at the granular level is not so much its forte.

GPS trace data recorded from a black box going around a corner versus smartphone going around a corner.  The GPS trace from the smartphone (green line) is of inferior quality to that of the black box (blue line).

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So, I hear you ask, if the telematics data couldn’t help with GPS, how did it help?!

The existence of GPS data in black box telematics devices is, I would say, definitely not the most important benefit.  There is so much more on offer.  For example, all Redtail Telematics devices have accelerometer and gyro.  If it’s a Redtail OBD device then you would even get OBD data from our devices too!

I think you know where we’re going with this… The car was equipped with a Redtail Telematics black box whose data was used as evidence in the case.  In addition, expert analysis of the data by Redtail assisted the Judge in clearing the car driver of all fault. Indeed, one of the accident reconstruction experts used the accelerometer data to suggest that the car swerved.  Therefore, the car driver probably avoided the glancing accident from being a head-on one.

Thanks to these extra offerings, Dr Colin Smithers (Redtail Telematics’ CEO), was able to defend the data from the Redtail Telematics device and stated that “Use of Black Box telematics clearly saves lives and reduces accidents, but importantly can add clarity in situations where memory has long faded and witness accounts disagree. This can act hugely to the benefit of innocent parties”.

Not bad for such a small piece of electronic equipment, eh?!

So that’s the story of how the data from a Redtail Telematics black box device helped in court.  The real question now is whether using telematics data will become the norm in court or remain a novelty.  I’d like to think that we’re all beginning to trust black box data enough to start accepting its use in situations such as this!

You can read full details of the court judgement on the Mitrasinovic vs Stroud case on the England and Wales High Court (Queen’s Bench Division) Decisions website.

Watch Redtail Telematics in DWF Telematics recording from their webinar held on the 20th of January 2021 at 11:00 – 12:00.  Dr Colin Smithers joins the panel.

During the DWF Telematics webinar, panelists recently discussed “when telematics data should be relied upon, what that data can and cannot tell us and how supporting evidence should be put before the court.”  Follow the link to the recording of the webinar to hear Redtail Telematics’ CEO speak with fellow panelists.

Click on the link below for the recording of this interesting and insightful webinar:

DWF Telematics – What does data tell us and how is it best utilised in personal injury claims?

Speakers and links to their profiles on the DWF website:

• Dave Young, Partner at DWF
• Benedict Harper, Specialist Manager at DWF
• Nina Lewis, Senior Associate at DWF
• Andrew Davis, Barrister Crown Office Chambers
• Dr Colin Smithers, Founder and CEO of Redtail Telematics Limited

For more information or to find out about other DWF webinars and insights, follow the below link to their website:

https://dwfgroup.com/en/news-and-insights/events/dwf-telematics