Job-Site Safety Institute Announces Grant to Focus on Use of Telematics to Reduce Motor Vehicle Accidents
Mick McDonald
mmcdonald@bmico.com
RALEIGH, N.C. (October 7, 2025) – The Job-Site Safety Institute (JSI), a nonprofit research and educational organization dedicated to improving safety and protecting lives, has announced it has awarded a grant to The University of Southern Mississippi to conduct a business case study on the benefits of telematics technology for small and medium-sized construction firms’ fleet safety programs.
“Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related deaths in the United States with speeding and distracted driving being the primary reasons crashes occur,” said Dr. Christine Branche, JSI Board Member and Programs Committee Chair. “Throughout my career, I've overseen and conducted research on preventing motor vehicle-related injuries. This important case study will provide the construction industry insight into workers driving habits and examine how telematics technology can help drivers become more aware of risky driving behaviors and improve safety on the road.”
Telematics can provide data on vehicle location, distance driven, time of day driven, driver acceleration, frequency of hard braking, speed while cornering or turning, maximum speed, seat belt use, cell phone use while driving, and activation of an electronic warning for automatic braking systems, all of which can be used to understand driver behavior.
“Vehicle telematics has the potential to fundamentally reshape how we approach fleet safety in construction,” said Mirsalar Kamari, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the School of Construction and Design at The University of Southern Mississippi. “By studying both the advantages and the barriers to adoption, our research will identify practical strategies that help small construction firms integrate this technology into their daily operations. Ultimately, we want to ensure that telematics is not seen as a luxury, but as a vital, accessible tool that reduces accidents, lowers costs, and protects workers—making small businesses stronger and more resilient. We’re truly excited to be partnering with the Job-Site Safety Institute on this research to practice project.”
The project will focus on determining the impact of telematics on driver behavior, and its effect on the frequency and severity of crashes; compare the effectiveness of GPS-based to GPS-plus camera-based telematics; identify barriers to small- and medium-sized businesses that prevent the adoption of telematics; and develop targeted strategies and resources to empower small and medium size businesses to adopt telematics.
Learn more about the Job-Site Safety Institute at www.jssafety.org.
About JSI: Founded by Builders Mutual, JSI is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. This research and educational organization is dedicated to eliminating all job-site related injuries and deaths in the construction industry. Research by JSI will play a critical role in improving on-the-job safety and saving lives.
About the University of Southern Mississippi: The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is a comprehensive public research institution located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, with an additional campus on the Gulf Coast. Founded in 1910, USM is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a R1: Doctoral University with Very High Research Activity, placing it among the top research universities in the nation. The university serves more than 13,000 students across undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs, offering a wide array of academic disciplines in the arts, sciences, business, education, health, engineering, and design. USM is nationally recognized for its commitment to student success, innovation, and community engagement—ensuring that its students are truly “Ready for Life”—while advancing scholarship, economic development, and cultural enrichment across the state, region, and beyond.