Will the device count as a distraction if I’m using my GPS?

Yes, any use of your phone while your vehicle is in motion will be recorded as a distraction event. For this reason, we recommend that you input your destination into your GPS prior to begining your trip.

In the event that you need to alter your route, we recommend that you stop your vehicle in a safe location prior to making any updates. 

Note: Incoming calls, emails or texts/notifications while driving will not count as a phone manipulation if you do not respond to them. 

Why am I receiving a 0 second hard braking, acceleration, or cornering event?

Hard acceleration, hard braking, and hard cornering events do not give a duration because it is irrelevant.  What you as the driver is seeing is the point of when that event was captured.  The length of your hard acceleration hard braking, or hard cornering event is not necessary, just that the event has occurred.

If you have any speeding events, you can see the duration of those events because it is relevant to know how long you, the driver, was speeding.

Why do I have distraction events recorded long after I have ended my shift?

We score drivers between the Pre-trip and Post-trip DVCRs. If you do not select “END ROUTE” and complete your Post-trip DVCR on the app, you may continue to be scored even after you leave work and get into your personal vehicle. If you fail to complete your Post-trip DVCR at the end of your route, you will still be logged out of the Mentor app at midnight, which will automatically end any on-going trip scoring.

What are Mentor’s “Harsh Braking” and “Harsh Cornering” thresholds?

Mentor uses g-force levels to determine harsh or risky driving. G-force is a measure of acceleration. Mentor’s “Harsh Braking” and “Harsh Cornering” thresholds are based on industry best practice and eDriving’s own field testing. These are subject to change in light of experience, industry standards and in-house research.

Mentor’s current “Harsh Braking” threshold is set at 0.41 g, or 9 mph/s. A driver reducing speed from 60 mph to 33 mph within 3 seconds means they decelerated 27mph in 3 seconds, which equates to decelerating an average of 9mph/second. This would trigger a “Harsh Braking” event in Mentor.

Mentor’s current “Harsh Cornering” calculations use g-force levels to determine whether a driver is traveling at an unsafe speed and velocity while making a turn. The “Harsh Cornering” threshold is set at 0.5 g. The larger the turning radius, the higher the speed tolerance. For example: A driver making a turn at >20 mph at a two-lane intersection with a 55 foot/17 meter turning radius would cause a “Harsh Cornering” event to be recorded. At a three-lane intersection with an 82 foot/25 meter turning radius, “Harsh Cornering” would be triggered at a turning speed of >25 mph.

How much is each event worth?

As a consistent and objective measure of driver risk, the FICO® Safe Driving score is comprised of variables that evaluate driving behavior across 5 key categories: Acceleration, Braking, Cornering, Distractions, and Speeding.  The importance of these categories is not equal.  While we cannot disclose specific algorithms.  Based on empirical analyses we have conducted on millions of trips, we have found that Acceleration and Braking generally have the largest impact, followed closely by other negative behaviors such as Speeding and Distractions. 

Does the FICO® Safe Driving Score account for severity of an event?

Yes, the FICO® Safe Driving Score accounts for severity specifically across Acceleration, Braking, Cornering and Speeding categories.  For speeding, the FICO® SDS provides contextual insights by comparing the recorded speed against the speed limit across several speeding severity buckets.  For example, the more excessive the speeding, the lower the score. 

I do not see any data in my Mentor app. What could be the issue?

• You must take your first trip to see data on the Dashboard view.
• “Location Services” must be turned on, and “Motion & Fitness” must be turned on to track trips:
  • Go to “Settings” in your phone
  • Select “Privacy”
  • Ensure “Location Services” is enabled/turned on
  • Make sure “Motion & Fitness” is enabled for Mentor
  • In “Settings” scroll down to “Mentor” and make sure “Location” is set to “Always”
• For Android users make sure “Power Save Mode” is off

Does the FICO® Safe Driving Score affect my FICO® Credit Score?

No, the FICO® Safe Driving Score has no bearing on your credit score, and your credit score is not used to create the FICO® Safe Driving Score.

What happened if I am missing my “Pre” or “Post” trip information?

Many times, when there is a missing trip, it is due to the app being closed during the day. To ensure you do not accidentally stop the application, make sure you are not swiping the app closed, logging out, or have an “app kill” setting on your phone that closes the app out after a certain amount of time.   

What constitutes “Speeding”?

Mentor allows for temporary, minor fluctuations in speed that are primarily caused by changes in road conditions, or the need for a short increase in speed, such as to pass a car or avoid a dangerous situation. In order for Mentor to record a speeding event, the following criteria must apply:

• If posted speed limit is < 40 mph, a driver must exceed the speed limit by 20% or more for at least 60 seconds.
• If posted speed limit is > or = to 40mph, a driver must exceed the speed limit by 10 mph or more for at least 60 seconds.

Why do my scores vary from day to day?

The number of events captured paired with the severity of the event will impact the score. For example, when a driver uses the phone 42 times at 1-5 seconds each vs. 42 times at 30-45 seconds, each will yield different scores post-trip.