Ecodrive as a road safety tool for Australian conditions

Ecodriving involves driving more smoothly by anticipating changes in the traffic, operating the vehicle within an optimum rev range, skipping and changing up gears as soon as possible, and avoiding sudden or substantial episodes of braking or acceleration. A trial was conducted with heavy vehicle drivers operating in real traffic, with follow-ups at six and twelve weeks. Comparisons were made with a control group and pre versus post training, and improvements were evident in fuel use, the number of braking applications, and the number of gear changes, without any sacrifice in overall speed or driving time. The effects were either still present three months later or in some cases progressively improving. However, the trial was not large enough to be conclusive and testing was carried out on a pre-determined route. The results do, however, warrant a larger trial, particularly a naturalistic one in which telematics are used to capture in-service data as the drivers go about their daily work. (a)