Driver safety program

• US 7,695,282 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gold Cross Benefits Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gold Cross Safety Corporation
• Inventors: Lanktree, Daniel P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saadat; Cameron
• Application Number:
  US11/221,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20060078853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,680 Days
• Field of Search: 434 65- 66, 434/236
• US Class Current: 434/65
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles

Abstract

In a driver training program, a manager conducts an observation drive with a program participant. During the observation drive, the manager observes the participant'"'"'s driving without commenting on the driving. The manager discusses the observations with the participant during the conference, and provides reports to appropriate departments of the company, e.g., human resources, benefits, and fleet maintenance departments. Based on the manager'"'"'s observations during the observation drive and other information regarding driving skills of the participant, a driver training curriculum is designed for the participant. The information regarding driving skills may include: the participant'"'"'s driving record; actual driving information obtained by monitoring driving of the participant with a global positioning system and/or acceleration, braking, and cornering forces sensors; the participant'"'"'s psychological profile; the participant'"'"'s health-related information; and information regarding the participant'"'"'s previous driver training. Future observation drive may be scheduled responsive to the information regarding the participant'"'"'s driving skills.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented driver training program method for improving driving skills and behaviors of a participant, the method comprising:

storing in a memory a collection of information relating to driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors of the participant;

obtaining a psychological profile of the participant, wherein the psychological profile is a Dominance/Influence/Steadiness/Compliance (DISC) psychological profile of the participant, and the step of obtaining is performed over a network at a time other than an observation drive with the participant;

adding information from the psychological profile to the collection of information relating to the driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors of the participant;

analyzing the collection of information relating to driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors of the participant to determine a driver training curriculum for the participant, wherein the collection of information comprises an observation drive report comprising observations regarding driving of the participant made by an observer during the observation drive with the participant, the step of analyzing being performed by a computing device running under program control;

wherein;

the observer conducts the observation drive; and

the step of adding is performed before the step of analyzing so that the step of analyzing is based at least in part on the psychological profile.

2. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 1, further comprising:

delivering a list a portion of the curriculum to the participant.

3. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 2, the method further comprising:

before the step of analyzing the collection of information relating to driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors, adding a list of one or more areas of driving competence in which the performance of the participant can be improved to the collection of information relating to the driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors of the participant, wherein the list of one or more areas is received from the participant during a conference after completion of the observation drive.

4. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 3, the method further comprising:

before the step of analyzing the collection of information relating to driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors, adding a list of one or more lessons to the collection of information relating to the driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors of the participant, wherein the list of one or more lessons is received from the participant during the conference.

5. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 4, the method further comprising:

before the step of analyzing the collection of information relating to driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors, adding a list of one or more additional skills that would help the participant to improve driving performance to the collection of information relating to the driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors of the participant, wherein the list of one or more additional skills is received from the participant during the conference.

6. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring driving of the participant to obtain actual driving information of the participant; and

before the step of analyzing the collection of information relating to driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors, adding the actual driving information to the collection of information relating to the driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors of the participant.

7. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 6, wherein the step of monitoring comprises using a global positioning system to obtain the actual driving information of the participant.

8. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 6, wherein the step of monitoring comprises using a vehicle computer to obtain the actual driving information of the participant.

9. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 6, wherein the step of monitoring comprises using a vehicle computer equipped with an acceleration/braking sensor to obtain the actual driving information of the participant.

10. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 6, wherein the step of monitoring comprises using a vehicle computer equipped with a cornering force sensor to obtain the actual driving information of the participant.

11. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 6, wherein the step of monitoring comprises using a vehicle computer equipped with a speed sensor to obtain the actual driving information of the participant.

12. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining driving record of the participant; and

before the step of analyzing the collection of information relating to driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors, adding information from the driving record to the collection of information relating to the driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors of the participant.

13. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 1, further comprising:

before the observation drive, examining vehicle used in the observation drive to obtain information regarding safety and mechanical state of the vehicle;

generating a report including the information regarding safety and mechanical state of the vehicle; and

submitting to a vehicle fleet department responsible for maintaining the vehicle the report including the information regarding safety and mechanical state of the vehicle.

14. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating a report including information regarding at least one of;

needs of the participant relating to driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors and suspected problems of the participant relating to driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors; and

submitting the report including the information regarding at least one of needs and suspected problems of the participant to a department capable of acting on the information regarding at least one of needs and suspected problems of the participant.

15. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing the collection of information relating to driver skills, attitudes, and behaviors of the participant to schedule the next observation drive.

16. A computer-implemented driver training program method according to claim 1, further comprising:

delivering at least a portion of the driver training curriculum to the participant over the Internet.

17. A computer system comprising at least one memory storing program code instructions and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory to execute the program code instructions, wherein the at least one processor under control of the program code instructions is configured to:

obtain, over a network at a time other than an observation drive with a participant, a Dominance/Influence/Steadiness/Compliance (DISC) psychological profile of the participant;

perform a first analysis of information regarding driving skills and behaviors of the participant, wherein the information regarding driving skills and behaviors of the participant comprises the DISC psychological profile and information regarding observations taken by an observer during the observation drive with the participant, wherein the observer conducts the observation drive;

based on the first analysis, prescribe a driver education curriculum for the participant; and

deliver at least a portion of the curriculum to the participant over the network.

18. A computer system according to claim 17, wherein the information regarding driving skills and behaviors of the participant comprises actual driving information of the participant.

19. A computer system according to claim 18, wherein the at least one processor under control of the program code instructions is further configured to:

perform a second analysis of the information regarding driving skills and behaviors of the participant to schedule a next observation drive with the participant.

20. At least one memory storing program code instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by one or more processors, the one or more processors under control of the program code instructions are configured to:

obtain, over a network at a time other than an observation drive with a participant, a Dominance/Influence/Steadiness/Compliance (DISC) psychological profile of the participant;

perform an analysis of information regarding driving skills and behaviors of the participant, wherein the information regarding driving skills and behaviors of the participant comprises the DISC psychological profile and information regarding observations taken by an observer during the observation drive with the participant, wherein the observer conducts the observation drive;

based on the analysis, prescribe a driver education curriculum for the participant; and

deliver at least a portion of the curriculum to the participant over the network.