If you are the owner of a fleet company, you will know that your vehicles are one of the most important assets of your business – only second to their indispensable drivers. Therefore, it will not be a surprise that vehicle and driver safety needs to be a top priority for your business. Preventable accidents or road incidents will put your drivers, vehicles and company at unnecessary risk that should be avoided at all costs.
It makes sense to prioritise fleet safety for the benefit of your business’s drivers and vehicles – and modern fleet management technologies and tools have evolved to meet current fleet safety demands. There are simple, reliable and affordable steps that your fleet company can take to help improve the safety and success of your drivers, vehicles and business interests.
Here are four ways to improve your overall fleet safety with effective fleet management:
- Data-Driven Driver Training and Education
Any time and resources that your fleet company invests into employee training and education is always worth the investment, especially when it prioritises fleet safety. Improving driver behaviour is one of the most effective ways to improve their safety and the vehicles they drive. A strong training programme that covers road rules and regulations, good driving habits and vehicle maintenance is critical to effective fleet management and safety.
There are a variety of tools and resources that are designed to improve your driver training. Fleet managers can also use their fleet management system to access usable data and actionable insights from GPS-based and video telematics. You can create driver training programmes based on your fleet company’s specific requirements and real-time information. This allows managers to make informed decisions when strategizing on how to approach driver training and education.
- Rigorous Screening Processes
The drivers you have employed are already critical members of your company. People that you trust and know can do their jobs safely, reliably and efficiently. Thanks to your strong driver training, you know that you can turn the right candidates into brilliant fleet operators. However, before you hire any prospective employees, you need to ensure your fleet company implements a rigorous screening process.
You need to have full confidence that all new employees are safe, trustworthy and responsible drivers. Your screening process needs to include three key components: pre-screening, core screening and ongoing screenings. Starting with employment history, credit checks and criminal records, your core and pre-screening processes should include drug and alcohol violation checks and driving histories. Ongoing screenings should cover driver performance records, random drug testing and physical examinations.
- Preventative Maintenance and Regular Inspections
Some of the most incredible advancements in vehicle telematics and fleet management software is that you can easily (digitally) schedule preventative maintenance checks and routine vehicle inspections. Unplanned breakdowns and avoidable accidents can be a result of poor vehicle maintenance or faulty equipment. Fleet companies need to ensure that their vehicles are safe, and their drivers are on the road.
Ensure essential maintenance tasks, such as tyre rotation and pressure checks, fluid changes and checking brake, signal and headlights, are performed routinely. By ensuring your vehicles are regularly inspected and maintenance is scheduled in a manageable rotation, fleet managers can reduce the amount of unplanned downtime in their fleet. Minimising the time your vehicles or drivers spend off the road will help you save money and time, while streamlining your business operations.
- Fleet and Driver Monitoring
Video and GPS-based telematics allow owners and managers to monitor their fleets, access real-time data and analyse driver and vehicle performance. Modern fleet monitoring solutions are an indispensable part of effective fleet safety programmes. You can monitor driver behaviour in real-time and ensure that every driver is keeping themselves, their vehicle and others on the road safe.
Fleet monitoring software is integrated with advanced vehicle telematics and technologies that can provide insights into how your fleet company is performing and actionable ways to improve that performance. Poor route management, speeding, hard braking and tailgating are just some of the bad driving habits that can be tracked and prevented using vehicle telematics that help improve fleet safety and performance.
Fleet monitoring is a cornerstone of most modern fleet companies, but owners and managers need to ensure that all of their business operations are not just cost-effective and consistent, but safe. However, a fortunate side effect of improving fleet monitoring, management and safety is that you improve business processes, reduce operating costs and better overall fleet performance.
Why Prioritise Fleet Safety?
An effective fleet safety programme is one of the most important investments you can make into your business. The time and resources that are invested into fleet management solutions will help improve fleet safety and make your company more competitive. Not to mention, implementing a fleet safety programme will help keep your drivers safe and happy, vehicles on the road and operations streamlined.
If you are looking to invest in the latest fleet management solutions and vehicle telematics to help your company improve fleet safety and performance, speak to one of our expert consultants at Landmark Tracking.
