Our Mission: Reduce impaired driving using predictive analytics.

The single greatest factor that goes into the decision to drink and drive is the low risk of getting caught^[1]. Increase the risk of getting caught and you decrease impaired driving. RTV is building predictive software that identifies vehicles that are at the highest risk of being used by habitual drunk drivers, even when those drivers have never previously been charged for impaired driving. Using this intelligence, Police can take action that significantly increases the risk of getting caught.

There is a misconception that impaired driving rates are declining. The reality is that the total number of motor vehicle deaths has declined for both alcohol and non-alcohol related deaths; however, the ratio of deaths involving alcohol is trending upwards.

Over one-third of fatal car crashes in North America involve alcohol. More than 10,000 people die in alcohol related accidents in North America every year^[2]. Hundreds of thousands more are injured, costing society over $70 billion annually^[3].

There is a very small group of prolific, habitual drunk drivers that are virtually unknown to police.

Source: Beirness, D., Simpson, H., & Desmond, K. (2003). The Road Safety Monitor 2003: Drinking and Driving. Ottawa, Ontario: Traffic Injury Research Foundation.

It is a very small group of habitual drunk drivers that are responsible for most impaired driving trips. Less than 3% of licensed drivers are responsible for 86% of all impaired driving trips. Sadly, this small group of drunk drivers offend more frequently and with higher levels of alcohol in their system. Typically, habitual drunk drivers will offend between 80 and 2,000 before they are ever caught, which is why most accidents that involve alcohol are caused by drunk drivers who have never previously had a DUI charge. This small group of prolific, habitual drunk drivers are virtually unknown to police.

The Solution

Based on patterns that appear in large data sets, we can identify vehicles that represent the highest risk of being involved in a drunk driving incident, even if the driver has never been previously charged for impaired driving.

The methodology works like this:

A complaint is made to 911 about a vehicle that is suspected of being operated by an drunk driver. An officer is dispatched but the vehicle is often "gone on arrival" by the time the officer arrives and so no contact is made and no file is generated. Research has shown that vehicles reported to 911 for impaired driving, which have previous 911 complaints, have a high probability of a future incident within the next 60 days. To determine the level of risk for a given vehicle, RTV mines data in real-time identifying all activity involving that vehicle.  It is common for these vehicles to have other incidents of anti-social and aggressive behaviours reported. Based on data from multiple sources, including past behaviours reported to police concerning a vehicle and its owner, RTV is able to identify vehicles that pose the highest risk to public safety for impaired driving.

An intelligence bulletin is prepared on that vehicle and appropriate action can be taken by police to influence the driver’s behaviour before, during and after the offense. A letter may be issued to notify the owner of a suspect target vehicle. A concerted effort can be made to intercept the vehicle on a number of occasions to check for impairment. Removing the ability for offenders to live in comfort thinking that they have eluded police increases both the real and perceived risk of being caught; as the single largest factor in the decision to drink and drive, this results in reduced levels of impaired driving. 

Presently, the process to identify one Repeat Target Vehicle is a intensive manual process that takes 4-6 hours. RTV is building predictive software to automate the analytical process with the ability to process hundreds of vehicles every day.

Our Team

We are a passionate group, supported by a network of stakeholders, that wants to fight impaired driving using innovative technology. Our solution will allow law enforcement to use evidence-based policing to target those most responsible and thereby reduce impaired driving.

Our team includes a software engineer and crime analyst who developed the methodology to identify Repeat Target Vehicles who is also a PhD candidate in computer science. The team also includes a seasoned entrepreneur with valuable expertise in networking and systems development, together with a financial professional and senior business manager with experience in start-ups. Together, the team is uniquely qualified to deliver a successful solution.

To learn more about the company and management team, please visit us at rtvgroup.ca

F.A.Q.

When will the solution be available?

Development is expected to be complete within six to eight months of initial funding. Following development, testing and trialing will be complete with at least one to three trial partners over three to six months. We expect to be able to deploy the software within 12 months of initial funding.

Where will the solution be trialed and made available?

We are very interested in hearing from law enforcement agencies willing to work with us to implement the solution. Furthermore, your contributions will also influence the decision to deploy RTV in your community.

We will track all contributions to help determine which communities have contributed the most; this will be an important factor in determining the priority placed on deploying in your community. It is important to recognize there are several factors that will go into the final decision where we will do trials and early deployments; however, your contributions and support will influence the decision. 

Does the system use profiling?

No, the system only uses data that has been previously reported to police and targets individual vehicles based on reported behaviour; in fact, this form of evidence-based policing is the antitheses of profiling.

How much will it cost to develop?

The total development budget is approximately $750,000, including testing and initial trials. Software development is expected to be $350,000 to $450,000, of which a portion has been completed; we require $230,000 of funding that will enable us to access additional funding sources of $220,000 to fully complete software development and begin trial deployments.

What will you do if you raise in excess of $230,000?

Amounts in excess of our target will be used in three ways: 1) to lessen the requirement for outside funding to complete the software development (e.g. reduce borrowing requirements), 2) to accelerate the development and move to trial more quickly, and 3) reduce the cost of deployment for testing and trials, perhaps even eliminating deployment costs for trial participants or early adopters.

What will you do if you raise less than $230,000?

Concurrent to our efforts to raise funding on Indiegogo, we continue to speak to a number of stakeholders that have a vested interest in reducing impaired driving. These advocate funders could play a key role in advancing the development of the software even if we were unable to reach our funding goal. All amounts raised will contribute directly to our goal of developing this technology and to reduce impaired driving.

If the solution is already proven to work, why are trials required?

The methodology is fully proven; however, the software that automates the methodology needs to be trialed to eliminate any initial bugs, develop the implementation process, and begin the improvement process to build the most effective tool possible.

Contribute, share, and engage in the fight against impaired driving.

We are looking for your financial contribution to help us complete the development of this innovative software. Every dollar raised is most appreciated in helping us reach our funding goal.

Sharing our story and encouraging friends and family to help us reach our goal is equally important.

If you are an influencer or decision maker in a community that would like to deploy this technology, or a stakeholder group that would like to support the deployment of this technology, please contact us through our web site at: rtvgroup.ca

Most importantly, please continue the discussion with your family and friends, particularly young people, that drinking and driving is wrong. And should you ever see someone you suspect of drinking and driving, please call 911 and report them; that call may be the data point needed by RTV to stop them from driving impaired the next time.

An engaged community is the key to success.

RTV Group wants to work with communities that are interested and engaged in the fight against impaired driving. If you live in such a community, be sure to rally your community's support for our campaign to raise your community's profile and improve the possibility of an early deployment in your community.

If you have the opportunity to introduce RTV Group and influence the decision making process in your community you might want to become a Promoter or Super Promoter to prequalify your community for early deployment and create an opportunity for RTV to be deployed in your community sooner.

A community that is engaged in the fight against impaired driving will have the greatest impact and success at reducing impaired driving rates with the system. Contribute, share, and engage in the fight against impaired driving.

ENTREVESTOR: Crowdfunding goal ambitious 

 Local startup seeks help on funding – RTV Group is seeking non-traditional funding sources for its software

1. Dula, C. S., Dwyer, W. O., & LeVerne, G. (2007). Policing the Drunk Driver: Measuring Law Enforcement Involvement in Reducing Alcohol-Impaired Driving. Journal of Safety Research, 38, 267–272.
2. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Fatality Analysis Reporting System; ALCOHOL-CRASH PROBLEM IN CANADA: 2010, Traffic Injury Research Foundation of Canada, March 2013
3. Blincoe L, Seay A, Zaloshnja E, Miller T, Romano E, Luchter S, et al. The Economic Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2000. Washington (DC): Dept of Transportation (US), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA); 2002.
4. Scott, M. S., Emerson, N. J., Antonacci, L. B., & Plant, J. B. (2006). Drunk Driving. Problem- Oriented Policing Guide, 36, . Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Polic- ing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice.