Fleet risk management means more than just buying expensive insurance; it’s about using the tools at your disposal to cut down on the chances of an accident happening in the first place.
Fleet safety is one of the essential metrics that any fleet manager can track. After all, if your fleet vehicles aren’t safe, there’s no way they can complete their duties on time and with the highest levels of efficiency possible.
The key to fleet safety lies in proactively monitoring your fleet drivers and their vehicles so you can discover any issues that could lead to injuries or other mishaps before they become major problems. With these five fleet risk management solutions, you can get closer to 100% fleet safety today.
Use Telematics In your Fleet
Telematics can be used to make your fleet safer by showing you exactly where a vehicle is located and which route it’s taking. Knowing that a vehicle hasn’t left its designated area or is following driving guidelines will alert you when a potential issue has developed.
Keeping tabs on your drivers with GPS tracking also gives you more flexibility when managing them. You can easily pinpoint their locations at any time, whether it’s for performance review, disciplinary actions, or emergency response.
Telematics-based monitoring gives you peace of mind knowing that your employees are driving within safety standards, limiting risk exposure, and improving overall fleet safety and productivity.
Create Driving Courses For Staff
If you’re concerned about driving in your fleet, consider having a few of your most experienced staff participate in an advanced driving course. This can help improve their skills on the road and provide them with techniques they can pass on to other members of your team.
By promoting safe driving habits within your organization, you can help decrease accident rates across your fleet. With more safety comes less stress and higher profits for you! That’s a win-win for everyone involved.
Monitor Driver Behavior Before they Cause a Crash
How can you know if one of your drivers is about to fall asleep at the wheel? By monitoring their driving behavior. In other words, if a driver starts swerving between lanes or applying their brakes for no apparent reason, you’ll get an alert to check in and make sure they are alright.
This proactive approach dramatically decreases your risk of getting into a collision with an unwell driver behind the wheel. And it also gives you a chance to counsel them before it’s too late. This is one of the best driver risk management solutions.
Keep Complete Records On All Drivers
One of your responsibilities as a fleet manager is making sure drivers follow all legal regulations. Ensure you have complete records on all drivers, including their training records and any disciplinary issues.
The law also requires you to ensure that every driver keeps a log of their hours worked, regardless of whether they are self-employed or employed by you.
It will protect your company from legal liability should accidents occur, but it’s required by law. (Keep in mind that different states may have additional requirements.) These logs must be kept for up to two years after a driver leaves your employ or stops driving for you, whichever comes first.
Regularly Take In Your Vehicles For Maintenance
Regularly taking your fleet vehicles in for scheduled maintenance and repair checks can help you catch small issues before they become big problems. Plus, it’s a good idea to make sure that all necessary service-related items are on your to-do list.
For example, if one of your drivers reported an oil leak last week, schedule a mechanic appointment to fix it.
This is also an important step in training new drivers since you want them to realize how critical proper vehicle maintenance is. Some companies mandate that new drivers take their vehicles in for an inspection before hitting the road.