If your business relies on effective fleet management for operational success, then there’s no way you can ignore the role your fleet drivers play. Better, safer drivers are crucial if you run a transport business or need your fleet to deliver goods and supplies. About 98% of all reported accidents are due to driver errors. So, the better your drivers are at the job, the fewer risks of accidents and injuries your business will have to deal with. That also means you’ll be able to reduce your operational costs significantly. Here are some ways to develop better fleet drivers.
- Identify the driver behaviors that increase risks
As indicated earlier, most reported accidents are due to human error. Unfortunately, many of these errors lead to human life loss, not just company property loss. Unsurprisingly, driving when distracted is the top culprit. Distracted driving can plunge your business into deep legal waters, whether from texting, speaking on the phone, or eating. Alcohol consumption, poor mental state, and poor physical health are notable risk factors. So, take the time to identify which driver habits increase risks on the road and find the best ways to educate your drivers about them.
- Educate your drivers
After identifying the risk factors, you need to eliminate them or reduce them significantly. It all starts with driver education geared towards changing driver thinking and behavior. Pick each risk factor you identify and address them separately during driver training sessions. Also, ensure that every driver knows and appreciates the dangers of ignoring those risks. Driver training can also help mitigate negligence claims when an accident occurs. However, pay attention to seeking legal assistance should your driver get into an accident with other motorists. For example, a truck accident attorney can help you handle claims if one of your drivers is involved in an accident with a truck.
- Set mandatory practices and baseline or standard metrics
You’ve identified the risk factors and educated your drivers. Now, it’s time to set the minimum driving requirements, practices, and standard metrics you’ll use to judge your drivers. A driver that falls short of the mandatory practices will have no excuses, as they’ve received training to be better drivers. You can use parameters like fuel consumption, acceleration, and idling time, to gauge the performance of your drivers. Also, it’s important to be as strict as possible when enforcing the rules to send a clear message and deter other drivers from risky habits.
- Use data management to improve driver performance
Aside from the measures listed above, it’s best to work toward getting more from your drivers than simply getting them to follow the rules. In other words, you should be able to improve driver performance. You can use data management to achieve just that. Put a system in place that allows you to understand what safety challenges your drivers have to deal with. For example, if your data reveals that most drivers are fatigued on the road, find the causes and implement the necessary solutions. In this case, for instance, you can consider reducing the workload, giving your drivers enough rest, and so on to help improve driver performance.