6 key factors to consider when creating your fleet safety checklist

When your organization relies on drivers and a fleet of vehicles, safety is a top priority. Accidents, unsafe driving behaviors and other safety incidents can impact customer satisfaction, employee health and your bottom line. An effective safety program can help reduce safety incidents, but creating one may seem challenging. 

By keeping the following six items top of mind—and understanding the role that telematics plays in each one—organizations can be well on their way to creating a culture of safety and mitigating the risks of higher insurance premiums, lawsuits and repair costs.

Video solutions provide peace of mind 

Video solutions such as dashcams—especially when backed by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning—are a vital component of any modern fleet safety program. An integrated system that seamlessly provides telematics, driver-facing, and road-facing video data in a single platform offers a host of safety-related benefits to businesses, such as: 

• In-cab alerts: AI-enabled driver-facing cameras can help reduce the likelihood of accidents by sending audible in-cab alerts for risky behaviors, like tailgating, distracted driving, or driving while tired.
• Protection against false claims: Dashcams allow you to get the whole story by seeing reliable video evidence alongside fleet data to help protect your fleet against false accident claims, exonerate drivers and reduce unnecessary expenses.
• Valuable coaching opportunities: Video technology enhances coaching efforts by providing real context around areas for improvement. Data and unbiased video footage also enable customized and more effective driver coaching and safety programs, and can help provide visual clarity around distracted driving behaviors—helping managers determine what negative behaviors are most pervasive within the fleet and proactively correct them. 

Read our blog to see how one logistics company saw fast ROI with dashcams

Proper maintenance helps keep vehicles roadworthy

Not only can proactive vehicle maintenance help control costs, but it can also make a significant impact on safety efforts. Any effective safety program will have a keen focus on maintenance, and telematics can play a pivotal role in streamlining those efforts. 

Fleet tracking solutions can monitor vehicles for maintenance needs and give alerts before they become issues that take vehicles off the road or make them unsafe for drivers. After all, there is a strong link between a well-maintained vehicle and safety.¹ Utilizing telematics to manage maintenance tracking also helps ease the burden on mechanics and back-office teams, freeing them up to focus on other important tasks.

Training and coaching encourage safe driving behaviors

Establishing a safety program is an ongoing initiative that should incorporate regular driver training and coaching, and telematics can be a valuable, unbiased partner in those efforts. 

For fleet managers, GPS fleet tracking technology can provide notification alerts when drivers engage in unsafe behavior, such as speeding, harsh braking or distracted driving. This can help them know which drivers might potentially need additional coaching and track progress and improvement. When the telematics solution incorporates video, it can provide unbiased footage that allows drivers to see examples of potentially unsafe behaviors.

Fleet visibility is vital for safety

GPS fleet tracking technology gives fleet managers the visibility they need to know where vehicles are in near real-time, which is a key component to include in a safety program. For organizations that may face dangerous conditions, fleet visibility is especially important. Companies in industries like mining or oil and gas can understand if their drivers enter a no-go zone, or have been in a hazardous area for too long.

For law enforcement and other public safety fleets, understanding vehicle location can mean the difference between life and death. If drivers are navigating roads during a natural disaster, or if officers are racing to the scene of an accident or crime, telematics can give them the confidence to know that dispatch knows where they are and has their back. 

Learn how Reveal helped this Sheriff’s Department protect officers and improve fleet visibility.

Route optimization helps with efficiency and safety

Route optimization solutions can obviously help reduce costs by helping save on fuel, but did you know they can also play a key role in your safety program? By making routes more efficient, they help reduce vehicle wear and tear, which ultimately contributes to fleet safety. And drivers end up spending less time on the road, which can reduce fatigue.

Route optimization solutions can also contribute to fleet safety by diverting drivers around dangerous areas, such as during extreme weather, or in applications like oil and gas or mining.

Achieving organizational buy-in is key

A fleet safety program is only effective if everyone in the organization—from leadership to fleet managers, drivers and support staff—is fully committed. Telematics brings it all together by serving as a vital tool in creating a culture of safety, and helping to achieve that organization-wide buy-in. Leadership can see the value and ROI through cost savings and streamlined operations. Fleet managers see the opportunity to drive safety initiatives forward, and drivers feel supported.

Creating an effective fleet safety program is an important goal, but it doesn’t have to be challenging. By incorporating the items mentioned above, you can be well on your way to creating a culture of safety. And by utilizing fleet tracking technology with video, you can be confident that you have the tools to make that safety program a reality.

Find out the role Verizon Connect can play in prioritizing fleet safety. 

¹ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/02/15/2023-02947/revised-carrier-safety-measurement-system