Common Driver Safety Issues

Every driver has bad habits that can lead to dangerous situations with potentially horrifying consequences. Though licensed drivers have to meet testing requirements, driving tests vary state by state. These inconsistencies, combined with natural differences in driver choices and skills, increase the dangers your drivers face on the road.

Solutions such as telematics can help you track and address the problems you see in your fleet. As you improve your fleet’s overall driving behaviors, you also increase driver safety. To most effectively protect your drivers from accidents and injury, it’s important to know what to watch for. Below, we’ve listed some of the most common driver safety issues and how to improve them in your fleet.

Common Driver Safety Issues

1. Speeding

There were 9,378 speeding-caused deaths in 2018. In 2017, 26% of all driving fatalities involved speeding. Despite the danger, it’s hard to find a driver who doesn’t speed. When you’re running late, in a bad mood, or just ready to get out of the car, going a few miles per hour above the speed limit seems minor. As the numbers above attest, however, we can see just how deadly speeding can be. 

2. Harsh Driving

Generally, harsh driving includes any actions that create abrupt changes in the direction or speed of a moving vehicle. Examples of harsh driving include:

• Harsh acceleration – If your drivers use more pressure than necessary to get the vehicle moving after a stop, they’re guilty of harsh acceleration. This behavior wastes fuel and creates more harmful gases than gradual acceleration. It can also be an indicator of aggressive driving.
• Harsh braking – Drivers who travel at faster speeds and with shorter distances between themselves and the car in front of them often have to brake harder than they should. This increases the likelihood of accidents, especially rear-ending, and wears out brakes faster than necessary.
• Harsh cornering – Taking corners, curves, and turns too fast puts unnecessary stress on your vehicles and increases the potential for losing control. 

How Do I Address Common Driver Safety Issues?

First, set clear expectations in your fleet policies. Make sure your drivers know what you consider dangerous driving and how to follow your company rules. Next, equip your vehicles with a telematics solution that tracks driver speeds and behaviors. You can also find options that allow you to limit your vehicles’ top speed and provide in-cab driver coaching. By keeping your drivers educated and trained, you can also keep them safe.

How do you address common driver safety issues in your fleet?