Chances are you already have a safety program in place. How is it working? Has it improved the safety of your fleet? Are your costs reduced? If you're not sure, it might be time to re-evaluate your safety program. Keep reading to see if you've included these key elements in your program.
Measure
What tools do you have to measure driver safety? Most basic GPS telematics devices can provide data on speeding, but not all can measure harsh driving such as taking a corner too fast, braking too fast, or accelerating harshly. Some tracking devices can provide in-cab audible alerts to drivers when it detects a violation. Are you also looking at seatbelt data? These days, you would think that everyone wears their seatbelt, but if you're not measuring it, how can you be sure? And what about distracted driving? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving claimed 2,841 lives in 2018 alone, and an estimated 400,000 people were injured in crashes involving distracted drivers. Many companies are turning to video-based safety solutions to combat distracted driving. No matter what your safety goals or budget are, Fleetilla can help you make sure you have the right tools to measure driver behavior to ensure a successful safety program.
Monitor
What issues are a problem for your drivers? Use the tools at your disposal to monitor your drivers behavior and performance. Set up reports and alerts to monitor speeding and seatbelt violations, harsh braking, harsh acceleration, and fast cornering. Fleetilla's Driver Score Card report can help you determine where the problems are in your fleet. You can also use a video safety solution to monitor distracted driving like texting or taking eyes off the road and even driving while drowsy. Analyze the data to determine what areas need improvement. Fleetilla can help you set up the appropriate alerts and reports at the optimal frequency to monitor your fleet's performance.
Goals
Based on the data you've gathered, what areas need improvement? Fleetilla can help there too by providing fleet industry trends for hazardous driving, so you have a baseline to measure your fleet's performance against. Now you have to set a goal and a timeline. For example, reduce the number of speeding violations by 5% in 6 months. Make sure the goal is realistic and measurable. Communicate expectations to drivers and consider holding a safety seminar to really get buy-in to the program.
Implementation
Successful implementation involves continuous monitoring, training drivers, coaching drivers regularly, addressing problems immediately, and rewarding drivers often for achieving goals and improving safety.
Results
Compare the data from day 1 of the program (before setting goals, training, and coaching) to now. Are you seeing changes? Are they in the positive or negative direction? If your goal was to reduce speeding violations by 5% in 6 months, did your fleet achieve the goal? If not, why? Was the goal unrealistic? Is your violation criteria too strict or not strict enough? Do your drivers understand the expectations? Did you train and coach them along the way? Are there other metrics you should be measuring? Did you reward drivers for good performance? If the goal was achieved, congrats! It's time to set a new goal!
In the end, a successful safety program benefits everyone. The safety of your drivers and other drivers on the road is improved, most importantly. Reduced accidents means less liability and insurance costs for the company. Safer driving also means less wear and tear on vehicles, which means less down time and less costly repairs. When the company saves money, employees reap the benefits. It's a win-win for everyone.