A haulier is helping its peers to improve safety thanks to its telematics camera systems from Durite.

EW Gardner and Grandson installed telematics cameras to help with delivery confirmations to its customers, to further enhance safety and to aid with disputed insurance claims. The Avonmouth-based company is also sharing footage of near-misses with other companies to raise awareness of potential issues with their drivers.

Deanna Morgan, Transport Manager at Gardner and Grandson Ltd, said: “In one incident, a truck was driving dangerously at a known accident hot spot, making our driver brake harshly to avoid a collision. Our driver immediately contacted us and we could quickly confirm what had happened thanks to the footage from the telematics camera.

“We were shocked that the other HGV driver would try something so risky. We could clearly see the truck’s livery so, because of the severity of the incident, we contacted the company and shared the footage with them.

“Road safety is the responsibility of every haulier, and we believe it’s important to inform our peers of incidents like this so they can take appropriate action.”

Gardner and Grandson is a well-known, RHA-accredited haulage contractor in south-west England, specialising in bulk haulage and landfill or recycling transfer. It has fitted Durite telematics cameras to its fleet of articulated tractors, pulling bulk trailers, curtainsiders and flatbeds.

“We looked at several systems but Durite was the best one we saw” said Craig Hucker, manager of Gardner and Grandson. “The systems have proved their worth time and time again. We have been able to provide hard evidence of delivery times to clients on request, which helps us maintain good customer relations. We have also won an insurance claim where it was alleged our driver was at fault but the footage proved he was not.”

Durite Live telematics cameras provide live streaming and monitoring of vehicles via a secure, intuitive and easy-to-use web-based telematics portal. Along with live location and journey history data, transport managers can receive real time alerts and scheduled reports. The system, which uses a 4G camera, also features a driver panic button to immediately alert head office of an incident.

“Durite Live definitely helps us with compliance, safety and operational management” added Deanna. “The crystal-clear imagery provides true evidence of incidents and potential incidents. The support from Durite during installation and since then has been excellent and we are very happy with both the kit and the service.”

With an extensive network of distributors and approved installers servicing the whole of the UK and Ireland, Durite offers a range of telematics products for trucks and vans, including hardwired and OBD plug-in units, plus integrated telematics cameras.

The company are the leading brand of vehicle safety, lighting and auto electrical parts for commercial vehicles and the general automotive aftermarket. For further details, visit www.durite.co.uk.