In order to operate a successful fleet company, drivers are a vital consideration for anybody considering or already managing one. Moreover, the success of your fleet management firm depends on the safety and driving habits of your employees. We’ve compiled a list of some of the most effective strategies for enhancing driver behaviour and safety in this post.
1. Establish a no-distraction driving policy.
Creating a no-distraction driving policy is essential in addition to other safety measures. Your drivers may engage in other pursuits while driving in a variety of situations. It’s a crime to engage in any of this, and the consequences might be disastrous. This policy is primarily designed to keep your drivers from using their mobile devices while behind the wheel. Making or receiving phone calls and reacting to text messages are part of this.
2. Make use of digital technology.
Many fleet companies use telematics, but fail to make use of the information they acquire, resulting in a squandered opportunity and an unrealised advantage. Plan and schedule your fleet’s drivers efficiently to prevent weariness and ensure their safety. A tachograph makes dispatching, scheduling and regulatory compliance easier than they were in the old days. On a single dashboard, you can see how many hours of driving time you have left and how much work your drivers have to do. You can also use your data to find the areas that need the most attention and come up with safe ways to deal with them.
3. Train your drivers.
Educating and acquainting drivers with safety regulations and best practices is the most efficient strategy to control their driving behaviour and ensure their safety. Driving when intoxicated, distracted or otherwise inattentive to one’s surroundings are all examples of improper driving conduct. Your drivers’ performance will improve if you encourage them to do so.
4. Motivate your drivers.
You may use incentives to encourage the performance of each individual driver. There are several ways to encourage people to improve their driving habits. Better driving and compliance may be improved with the use of these incentives.
5. Use the alert system.
It is possible to improve your driving by receiving fast feedback on your mistakes. Many fleet management systems offer tools that warn drivers and management when safety standards are broken. Using an alarm system, you can see if your driver is driving erratically, in the incorrect lane, or not maintaining a safe following distance from the other car. Using these notifications, management will be able to keep track of the conduct of their drivers and assist them in changing their bad driving behaviours. These warnings may also be customised depending on the technology and fleet configuration.
6. The vehicle’s records should be checked.
Checking the driving records of your fleet’s personnel is recommended. As a result, you may save many future headaches by weeding out people who have a terrible driving record.
7. Maintaining your vehicle is a vital part of being a responsible driver.
The performance of your cars improves when they are serviced on schedule. It’s important to do routine maintenance like oil changes and brake adjustments after a certain number of miles. As an additional precaution, make sure that all the hoses and plugs are in good working order. Preventing breakdowns and downtime by properly maintaining your vehicle also aids in avoiding collisions. Maintaining your fleet is an essential element of running a successful business.
8. The safe braking distance should be known.
Larger vehicles take longer to come to a complete halt. An 18-wheeler vehicle will take 40% longer to come to a halt than a five-seat automobile. Getting used to the proper braking distance for a large truck may require some practice for novice drivers who are used to driving small motor vehicles. As a result, they must practice this every day to prevent any mishaps when utilising it to transport critical cargo.
9. Overtaking should be avoided at all costs.
The most common cause of crashes and accidents is overtaking. It is possible to prevent collisions with reckless drivers by maintaining a safe distance from them and adhering to the rules of the road. When your driver has to make a turn, they should always utilise a turn indicator. Keeping a safe distance from the car in front of them helps prevent them from tailgating. They may cut their risk of an accident by 90% if they strictly adhere to the road laws.
In conclusion, if you want to run a successful fleet company, you need to go digital. Webfleet could help you with your fleet management.