Braking response and following distance monitoring and safety data accounting system for motor vehicles and other types of equipment

A brake response and following distance monitoring and safety data accounting system for a human-operated vehicle comprising:

• following distance measurement means for generating a first signal when an object immediately in front of said vehicle is detected;
• speed measurement means for generating a second signal when said vehicle is moving forward;
• acceleration/deceleration indicating means for generating a third signal when acceleration or deceleration of said vehicle, in the direction of an X-axis, is detected;
• acceleration/deceleration indicating means for generating a fourth signal when acceleration or deceleration of said vehicle, in the direction of a Y-axis, is detected;
• acceleration/deceleration indicating means for generating a fifth signal when acceleration or deceleration of said vehicle, in the direction of a Z-axis, is detected;
• processor means for receiving said first, second, third, fourth, and fifth signals and constructing a unified data record at the occurrence of a plurality of discrete events;
• and
• storage means for compiling a plurality of said unified data records for immediate review or later retrieval;
• wherein said unified data record comprises contemporaneous following distance, speed, and X-axis, Y-axis, and/or Z-axis acceleration/deceleration data providing a record of a human operator's habits and performance with regard to the operation of said vehicle.

A method of brake response and following distance monitoring and safety data accounting for a human-operated vehicle comprising:

• detecting a following distance between said vehicle and an object immediately in front of said vehicle;
• detecting a speed of said vehicle when moving forward;
• detecting acceleration/deceleration of said vehicle in the direction of an X-axis;
• detecting acceleration/deceleration of said vehicle in the direction of a Y-axis;
• detecting acceleration/deceleration of said vehicle in the direction of a Z-axis;
• constructing a unified data record at a plurality of intervals;
• and
• storing said unified data records for immediate review or later retrieval;
• wherein said unified data record comprises contemporaneous X-axis, Y-axis, and/or Z-axis acceleration/deceleration data providing a record of a human operator's habits and performance with regard to the operation of said vehicle.