24/02/2017
Properly trained drivers ensure that they are safer when out and about. We take a look at what should be included and how it can benefit the business.
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Properly trained drivers ensure that they are safer when out and about.
A formal, written fleet safety policy statement eliminates any room for confusion and conveys a clear message to all employees about the importance of safe driving.
Policies should clarify the rules about seat belt use, impaired driving, distracted driving (NSC recommends prohibiting all mobile phone use – including hands-free devices – while operating a motor vehicle), how to report a collision, what to do in the event of a breakdown and scheduled maintenance.
Businesses should also consider establishing the circumstances for which an employee would be allowed to drive a work vehicle on personal time.
And although the fleet safety driver does not need to be an expert on all things maintenance, he or she should be well versed in it.
An effective fleet management process can also help reduce crashes, maintenance and downtime while improving employee morale and the company’s public image.
Classroom instruction in combination with behind-the-wheel instruction should be undertaken in order to introduce new equipment, inform changes in procedures and provide updates pertaining to regulatory compliance.
In addition, safety posters, dash cards and brief speeches to reinforce best practices are all useful.
In 2017, fleets will be increasingly turning to ‘big data’ to drive areas from compliance through to road safety, according to the Association For Driving Licence Verification (ADLV).
Richard Brown, MD of ADLV member Licence Check, comments: “Not that long ago, many organisations were limited to annual checks. However, as the technology is now there to carry out more frequent checks with ease, fleet managers are building this into their compliance plans on a quarterly basis. This ensures that the data that fleets are now working with is almost constantly updated and therefore of a much higher quality.”
Malcolm Maycock, ADLV chair and managing director of the Licence Bureau, said: “Driving licence data is one of the essential elements here in terms of setting the parameters for risk profiling and management for all businesses that allow employees to drive on their behalf. It’s also the obvious starting point to begin to profile the driver pool with a view to encouraging better driving styles and habits. According to recent research by Direct Line, this could cut annual fuel bills by 40%, as well as reducing wear and tear on vehicles and driving down accident rates.”
Did you know?
According to a report from Department for Transport, there have been 162,000 injuries and 1,732 fatalities because of traffic accidents in Great Britain (2015).
Maintaining the safety of drivers and company vehicles appears to be much more important, as the number of new drivers and traffic accidents increase. Global Positioning System (GPS) devices help drivers become significantly less preoccupied. There is now no need for drivers to check a map while driving, and daily routes can be set before leaving the office as well as any route revisions. By tracking drivers while on the road and giving them verbal feedback, managers can provide ways to avoid road hazards, accidents, construction sites or existing accidents. For businesses with fleets, a GPS Tracker should really be considered as a telematics device providing detailed vehicle and driver data reports.
It’s in everyone’s best interest to promote fleet safety and workplace safety in general.
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