A story in the San Francisco Examiner reports that San Francisco Muni accidents are down 50% with the installation of DriveCam surveillance systems in all of the Muni buses, according to a Muni study. The cameras are activated by sudden changes in velocity, such a sharp braking or steering. Each unit has two cameras: one showing the view ahead, and one trained on the driver. Apparently, just knowing that there will be an audio and video record has caused drivers to maintain a higher standard. For drivers who are captured on video driving badly, Muni uses refined training, and discipline.
The DriveCam system costs about $500 per vehicle-quite a bargain for a system that Muni believes caused accidents to drop from 964 in 2009 to 483 in 2010. Of coarse, the cost per vehicle should provide many years of DriveCam coverage. Now Muni is looking at using the cameras to reduce Muni streetcar accidents too, which I hope they will do soon.
No doubt, some of the Muni drivers must dislike the cameras, and feel that they are intrusive. In most jobs, though, there is at least some direct supervision and observation. Given the enormous public trust that goes to public transit drivers, I would be surprised to see drivers or their representatives taking issues with the DriveCams.
As personal injury lawyer, I have had many cases involving Muni over the years. The many protections afforded Muni drivers makes it very difficult to remove poor or mediocre drivers, unless they cause multiple injury accidents. Muni's work rules allow drivers to work considerable overtime hours, and permit drivers to commute in from long distances, so that they start a shift already haven driven one to two hours. As such, a system that increases safety and personal responsibility for Muni's drivers is welcome. As a Muni rider, I really like the idea that there is an additional level of oversight, and that it has had such a dramatic positive impact on driver safety.
The Muni accident lawyers at Callawy & Wolf are very experienced with cases involving San Francisco Muni buses and streetcars, including cases involving passengers on vehicles, pedestrians struck by Muni vehicles, and drivers whose cars are hit by Muni vehicles.
