Every year, nearly 600 lives are lost and 15,000 people injured in collisions involving stopped or disabled vehicles. Parking on the highway shoulder is extremely dangerous, turning drivers into “sitting ducks” for fast-moving traffic. With little time to react, these situations can lead to devastating accidents with severe injuries or fatalities.

Many companies prohibit shoulder parking, but enforcing these policies in real-time has remained a challenge — until now.

Get real-time alerts for unsafe parking.

Motive’s new AI-powered Unsafe Parking Detection addresses the issue head-on. Available with all Motive AI Dashcams, AI detects when drivers are parked on the shoulder for too long and immediately alerts managers with video evidence. You can quickly assess the situation, guide drivers to safer locations, and reduce the risk of high-speed collisions.


Vehicle parked on narrow shoulder

Unsafe parking is flagged when a vehicle is stopped:

  • For at least 3 minutes, to avoid false unsafe parking events caused by stop-and-go traffic.
  • On a highway shoulder, on-ramps, off-ramps, or other high-risk areas where the posted speed limit is 45 mph or higher.

How AI keeps drivers safe in high-risk parking situations.


Vehicle parked on highway on-ramp at night

Unsafe Parking AI allows safety managers to take quick action to protect drivers. They can help drivers set up emergency triangles to warn oncoming traffic, call for roadside assistance, and relocate to a safer area when needed. Below are common high-risk scenarios where drivers may need immediate support:

  • On the highway, freeway, or parkway shoulder: Drivers may stop on the shoulder for mechanical issues (such as a flat tire or engine trouble), breaks, bad weather, health concerns, or other reasons.
  • On an exit or on-ramp: Drivers might stop on an exit or on-ramp due to confusion about directions, vehicle trouble, or traffic congestion. 
  • On a two-lane road: Drivers sometimes pull over on narrow two-lane roads to let faster traffic pass, address mechanical problems, or handle emergencies.

Customer impact: FirstFleet’s experience.

AI-powered Unsafe Parking Detection is already making a big impact for FirstFleet. Here’s their story, as told by Bronson Laney, Manager of Safety Technology:

“We’ve seen firsthand how dangerous it can be when a vehicle is parked on the side of the highway. These incidents underscore the importance of timely hazard notifications, allowing for proactive safety response measures to prevent these types of accidents.

This is why we were eager to test Motive’s AI-powered Unsafe Parking Detection feature, and we’ve been thoroughly impressed with its accuracy to date. In just the first week, even with less than 1% of the fleet participating in the trial, we were able to identify potentially serious unsafe parking events. With this feature, we are notified of these events more quickly and can assess and respond to the situations in real time. As a result, we’re able to guide drivers to safer locations and potentially prevent serious accidents. 

Beyond safety, we expect to reduce unnecessary stops for roadside service – another benefit. The shoulders of highways are littered with debris — shrapnel, metal fragments, and other hazards — that pose a significant risk to tires and equipment. We hope that by limiting exposure to these objects, we might see measurable improvements in tire performance, ultimately reducing downtime and repair costs.”

A safer future with Motive AI Dashcams.

Unlike solutions that rely solely on telematics, Motive combines telematics with computer vision AI for highly accurate unsafe parking detection, using both vehicle data and visual insights for richer context. The Motive Safety Team, with 400+ safety experts, reviews events and removes false positives. Later this year, drivers will also receive real-time alerts, empowering them to take corrective action immediately.

From AI-powered detection of drowsy driving to forward collision warnings, Motive equips you with the tools to protect drivers, reduce liability, and build a strong safety culture. Take a tour of the Motive AI Dashcam and Driver Safety solution today.