ILC ARTICLE

As accidents on rural roads rise – drivers face added risk of no witnesses and no help

5th March 2020

Source: ThingCo

Drivers urged to slow down and get connected

• Risk of being killed or seriously injured highest on rural roads
• Serious car casualties on rural roads up year on year 
• 10,790 serious casualties in 2018 compared to 10,532 in 2017

London, March 2020:  Drivers and their passengers continue to face the greatest risk of being killed or seriously injured in a car accident on a rural road compared to any other road based on fresh analysis of official road casualty data^[i].  There has also been a marginal increase in the number of serious car casualties on rural roads – the figure rose to 10,790 in 2018 compared to 10,532 in 2017.  Concerned over the rise in casualties, Mike Brockman, CEO of ThingCo, a pioneer of technology to improve road safety, is urging drivers to slow down and get connected to help ensure they get immediate support when they need it along with proof of the circumstances of the crash. 

Mike Brockman says: “Rural roads can be a minefield – high hedges, varying and sometimes unclear speed limits, wildlife, and lack of lighting can make a journey challenging.  If you are unlucky enough to have an accident, the speed of support from emergency services is bound to be a lot slower than an urban road or motorway.  If there’s no other car involved it might be sheer luck that someone finds you. Then there’s the stress of the insurance claim without witnesses to back up your story.  

“Relying on a mobile phone for help is risky – it could be damaged or thrown from a car in an accident.  Motorists should investigate the support they can get either through existing connected services from the car’s dashboard or via a device such as Theo, the smart in-car companion, fitted to the car windscreen.”

Theo is a 4G connected ‘super’ dashcam utilising an effective combination of HD video, telematics, forward collision sensors and voice.  The device fits seamlessly to any vehicle’s windscreen and warns drivers when they get too close to the car in front, records the road ahead through a HD camera and speaks to the driver to offer immediate help following an accident. If there is no response from the driver suggesting they are unconscious, emergency services will be alerted with the exact location of the vehicle.

Mike Brockman continues: “In-car technology is a game-changer for road safety – the problem is that not every car has the ability to get connected to help provide immediate support to the occupants of the car.  That’s why I created Theo – it makes any car a connected car to make journeys safer.  It can even create a detailed picture of what happened prior to the accident to help support a claim, should the driver want it.”

Find out more about Theo.

CASE STUDY AVAILABLE ON REQUEST 
Please click on the below link for accompanying photography:

Theo

More images available on request

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Theo is a product of ThingCo, founded by telematics pioneer Mike Brockman. Small and compact, Theo fits seamlessly to any vehicle’s windscreen – with a mobile app that helps track journeys, record and control driving data and unlock a world of benefits for safer drivers. A high-definition video camera, sensors and reactive intelligent voice ensure all eyes are on the road, providing motorists with total peace of mind.

The Device is £149.99, installation is free.

This includes a high definition camera with night vision

Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS)

In-Car Intelligent Voice (Using Amazon’s Lex technology)

The subscription is free for new customers for the first 3 months and £4.99 per month thereafter.

Now available on Amazon and ebay. 

This provides:

• Personalised App
• Control over your data and how to use it
• Instant feedback on journeys and historical log
• Personalised driving scores for each 100 mile block of trips
• In-Car Voice Activated accident alert
• Theo Accident Help Service
• Rewards and incentives 
• Instant downloads of video sections 
• Access to cheaper motor insurance

For further press information please contact Alison Reeson or Parm Heer at HSL on 0208 977 9132 or thingco@harrisonsadler.com

[i] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/ras30-reported-casualties-in-road-accidents.RAS30018 – Reported casualty and accident rates by urban and rural roads, road class, road user type, severity and pedestrian involvement, Great Britain.  In 2018, there were 10,790 casualties in 2018 vs 10,532 in 2017