What is a Vehicle Tracking Device?
A vehicle tracking device is a purpose built electronic system that uses specially designed computer software. The device usually consists of a receiver in the vehicle itself combined with a separate device at a different location which is controlled by the driver or a third party, this can either be a special purpose built device or can be software which is downloaded on to a PC. The purpose of it is to track the vehicle's location but it also has many other different uses. Most tracking devices use GPS technology to track the location of the vehicle. Vehicle tracking systems are used most commonly in multi-vehicle operations like courier or haulage companies who need to keep track of their drivers' operations at all times but they also have other uses, like anti-theft recovery and parental uses. This article looks at the benefits that parents can gain from using a tracking device.
What do Parents need a Tracking Device?
Parents find it useful to use vehicle tracking to check that their teen son or daughter is driving their car safely and responsibly. Recently a device was invented that allows the parent to track, via a sent email or SMS message, the exact location of the vehicle at any given time. The device can also set speed limits. It was invented by a 20 year-old computer-design student who christened it the 'speed-demon'. He said that the purpose of inventing it was to promote safe driving among the teen population and to reduce the number of driving fatalities and serious accidents amongst young people. It also has the knock-on effect of reducing car-premiums for car insurance as well as giving concerned parents far greater peace of mind. The feeling in the automobile industry is that this kind of device could soon become a standard feature in all new cars, as the potential it gives the police for effective tracking and locating of vehicles proves irresistible.
Active and Passive GPS Vehicle Tracking
There are basically two types of teen tracking device - active and passive. An active tracking system allows you to trace the whereabouts of a vehicle at all times, meaning that you can detect a vehicle's location in real time, but it can also track a vehicle's history, how long it's been in a certain location, how fast it was going at a particular time etc. It can even tell when a seat belt is being used and when not. One such device is the Informer Lite, which can be hired on a contract for anything from £16 for 500 status updates a month to £75 for unlimited updates a month depending on the contract you choose. Passive tracking is slightly more limited in its scope than active tracking but still provides a useful service. It tracks the history of a vehicle which can later be downloaded and checked. It is not possible to track a vehicle in real-time using a passive system. Most passive sytems have a feature called an RMT Tracking System which can be plugged into the device while the car is being used and which records the movements and other details of the car's journeys. It can then be plugged into a PC, tablet or similar remote device from which all the information can then be viewed. It looks and works in much the same way as a USB memory stick.
Other Advantages
Accidents involving automobiles are one of the most common causes of death or serious injury amongst teenagers and young people. According to figures provided by the Ministry of Transport, 1 in 7 teen drivers in the UK will have a car accident of some kind in their first year of driving. Speed, along with alcohol, is the most common reason for accidents resulting in death amongst teen drivers. Another advantage is that parents of your son or daughter's friends will be more likely to let them ride with your son or daughter if they know the car they're riding in has vehicle tracking as it gives an extra guarantee that they will be safe. The GPS navigation within the system means that it can be tracked easily should it become lost or stolen. Tracking systems are also very economical in terms of the amount of energy they use up, using only a miniscule amount of energy from car's battery. All in all, vehicle tracking devices for teen drivers are an excellent way of providing increased peace of mind for parents and greater safety security for drivers.
