Status: Anticipated
Telematics is becoming a key tool for shifting traffic enforcement toward data-driven, risk-based, preventive safety strategies. These systems collect information on speed, acceleration, braking, cornering, location, time of day and, in some cases, phone distraction. In an enforcement context, this data can help identify hotspots and guide targeted deployment of resources.
Telematics supports several enforcement applications. For speed management, it can show where speeding is routine, not just where crashes have already happened. This is especially useful on arterials, rural roads, school zones and work zones. Mobile-device telematics can highlight patterns of phone interaction while driving, which is more effective for network-level risk mapping than for issuing individual citations. Fleet telematics can strengthen commercial safety management by identifying recurring risky behavior and guiding employer-based interventions. In work zones, telematics can detect excessive speeds and support decisions about camera placement or police presence.
Despite these promising uses, states need a clearer understanding of how telematics can support enforcement, what pilots are showing and what risks or unintended consequences may arise.
This study will document the current state of knowledge on telematics-based enforcement, review pilot projects underway in multiple states and assess key issues that agencies must manage. It will propose measures states can take to address risks and develop a guide for state highway safety offices and other agencies outlining how telematics can be used to promote traffic safety. The guide will also include recommendations for standardizing telematics practices to meet user needs. Finally, the study will outline a research design for future BTSCRP work to fill remaining knowledge gaps. The goal is to provide states with practical, evidence-based guidance on using telematics to strengthen enforcement and reduce roadway risk.
