Two new driver safety solutions have been launched to help fleet managers protect their drivers and their vehicles when out on the road.

Pointer Telocation, which provides automatic vehicle location solutions for fleet management and driver safety, has launched its Cellocator Handsfree unit.

The device enables fleet managers to listen to a driver, as well as to what is happening inside the cabin after a panic button has been activated.

Additionally, the unit can serve as a voice communication device between the driver and the manager, eliminating the need for a mobile phone.

The unit also supports silent monitoring, in which the caller can listen to the driver and what happens in the cabin but the speaker is muted.

Meanwhile the Guardian Ranger has been launched by VeriLocation.

The device contains a built-in microphone, which can be activated at any time by dialling the device and listening in.

The device is intended primarily as a personal safety device, but it can also be used to track vehicles, and costs £1 a day to run.

Andrew Overton, managing director of VeriLocation said: “When an employee presses the panic button in an emergency you will receive an urgent alert plus their current position.

"You can then phone their Guardian Ranger and listen to what is actually happening, before deciding what action to take.

“In everyday use the Guardian Ranger allows y ou to see exactly where your people are at any time through a normal internet browser.”