3 Essential Strategies to Improve Fleet Safety

As a company with a fleet of drivers and vehicles on the road, driving safety is a high priority. Accidents can cause companies upwards of $16,500, every time one occurs. Those with injuries can cost over $74,000 and those with fatalities can come with over $500,000 in expenses!

Accidents can have a variety of causes, such as mechanical failures, poor driving practices, poor maintenance, and just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, so there several ways to guard your fleet from mishaps. In this blog, we’ll focus on 3 strategies you can use to improve your fleet’s safety.

Train Your Drivers

The best way to help your drivers is to train them in safe driving practices. Use telematics devices to record driving behavior and use that data to focus on each driver’s weaknesses. Coach them to improve their driving safety and increase their fuel and maintenance efficiency. Encourage active improvement through a rewards system for good driving. Use competition to boost interest and push bottom performers to do better. Give your drivers the tools they need to do better.

Lessen Distractions

According to research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), at least 3,000 deaths a year are caused by distracted driving. In fact, taking your eyes off the road for more than two seconds can double your risk of experiencing an accident. A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety also found the following:

• More than 2 in 3 drivers (70 percent) report talking on a cell phone while driving within the past 30 days. Nearly 1 in 3 drivers (31 percent) report doing this fairly often or regularly.
• More than 2 in 5 drivers (42 percent) admit to reading a text message or email while driving in the past 30 days, while 12 percent report doing this fairly often or regularly. Nearly 1 in 3 drivers (32 percent) admit to typing or sending a text or email over the past month, while eight percent say they do so fairly often or regularly.
• Over 80 percent of drivers view distracted driving as a bigger problem than three years ago.

Use truck-specific navigation systems to prevent your drivers from getting lost and having to give excess attention to their directions. Implement a way to monitor and regulate in-cab cell phone usage. Help your drivers increase their own safety and that of others.

Enforce Regular Vehicle Maintenance

It’s easy to avoid regular maintenance when doing so can save thousands of dollars, but when you’re spending that money on mechanical-failure accident costs, it’s not such a great strategy. According to the NHTSA, tire failure — such as worn down treads or under-inflated tires — causes around 11,000 crashes a year. Other mechanical problems, such as brake, steering, or light failure, can also create a dangerous driving situation for your drivers and those around them.

Keeping your fleets and drivers safe starts with you. What are you doing to help?