FleetCheck urges fleets to review risk policies as in-car passenger screens pose growing threat

Fleet operators are being advised to revise their risk management strategies to account for the increasing presence of passenger entertainment screens in vehicles, according to fleet software specialist FleetCheck.

Peter Golding, managing director at FleetCheck, highlighted the growing popularity of ‘co-pilot’ screens in higher-end vehicles and warned of their potential impact on driver safety.

Citing recent research from China’s Tongji University, he said the use of these screens – particularly for films and video games – increased driver distraction and negatively affected reaction times.

Golding said: “While this latest research doesn’t directly make the inference, these kinds of studies often show effects that are comparable with drug and alcohol use.

“These are not small risks, and fleets should arguably be considering their effect on driving performance.”

He added that the presence of entertainment screens for passengers represents a new challenge for fleet risk management, and one that requires fleets to adapt their policies accordingly.

Golding said: “The interiors of cars have changed massively in just a few years. Many manufacturers have followed Tesla’s lead, placing most controls on touchscreens.

“As a result, some employers have already implemented guidance encouraging drivers to use voice control whenever possible.”