Fleet safety is certainly a daily concern. For the same reason, it must be a priority and guide all actions in this direction. Not only for the integrity of the vehicles, but also for the well-being of the drivers.
One of the most effective strategies to ensure this is to design a fleet safety program and, above all, put screening, testing, inspection and training measures into practice on an ongoing basis. Want to know more about the subject? Just keep reading to learn more.
The importance of road safety
Road safety measures
9 Key Elements of a Fleet Safety Program
The importance of road safety
Brazil recorded a 13,5% increase in the absolute number of deaths from traffic accidents, between 2010 and 2019. According to the Institute of Economic and Applied Research (Ipea), more than 390 thousand lives were lost in incidents involving land transport.
This scenario also reveals that our country was unable to fulfill its part of the agreement with the United Nations (UN) to reduce mortality by 50% by 2020, a global target for reducing accidents.
Given this, the importance of road safety becomes even more evident, as change must start from the inside out, and this is an aspect that directly impacts the well-being of drivers, passengers and other road users.
Suggested reading: Traffic safety: importance of safe driving culture in fleet management
Road safety measures
Some road safety measures are probably already part of your operation, however, It is much more effective to develop a specific program for your fleet.
Carrying out preventive vehicle maintenance, providing driver training and technologies are actions that not only reduce the risk of accidents and material losses, but also demonstrate the company's commitment to social responsibility and the preservation of life.
These road safety measures can also contribute to reducing operating costs, increasing productivity and improving the company's image in the market.
Therefore, it is essential that managers are always attentive and prioritize safety in their strategies. Next, you'll find out how to make it simpler and more effective.
9 Key Elements of a Fleet Safety Program
Know your drivers
The first step is to know in detail who is behind the wheel of the vehicles in your fleet, as they are the ones who will guarantee the execution of the safety program. With this in mind, you may ask yourself questions about:
- How are vehicles used inside and outside business hours?
- Do your drivers use the vehicles to get to and from work?
- Do you have a clear understanding of each other's driving habits?
- What licenses and certifications do drivers have?
The intention with this is to carry out a safe mapping, structure a good driver performance evaluation and make the most accurate decisions possible for your operation.
Strengthen your hiring process
We also cannot forget that the recruitment of new professionals is quite common, so it is also necessary to evaluate how this happens. Is your company's screening process rigorous? Do you fully trust the responsibility of your drivers?
Reflecting on the different stages of screening makes the process much simpler and safer:
- Pre-screening: employment history research, Social Security number verification, among others.
- Basic screening: vehicle reports, drug and alcohol violation history, and criminal background checks (national and local).
- Conditional screening: aptitude exams, physicals and pre-employment drug tests.
- Continuous screening: random substance testing, post-accident testing, monthly vehicle monitoring, regular reviews of driving records, and annual physical exams.
Without a robust screening process for hiring professionals, it is very possible that the security program will start off wrong, so be sure to evaluate and reevaluate this from time to time.
Welcome new employees
Likewise in any company, it is important that new professionals become familiar with the organizational culture, including valuing customers, road safety and attention to drivers and their vehicles.
In this case, some points worth highlighting are:
- Reception program: After the appropriate choice of new drivers, the next step is to prepare a welcoming program. All important aspects must be mentioned, such as the company's main processes, responsibilities and notions of defensive driving.
- Driving training: Anyone who thinks that this is an exclusive task for drivers new to fleet management is mistaken, since practical driving training is a way of validating their behavior and demonstrating its impact on issues such as fuel consumption and journey time. .
- Accompanied driving: There may also be a period of closer supervision, with presentation of the work environment, information about routes, engagement with colleagues, managers and directors.
This is still a great opportunity to share the fleet policy from the company. Therefore, professionals already know, from the beginning, the rules and responsibilities involving accidents, fines and use of vehicles.
Suggested reading: Vehicle Liability Term: how to implement it in the internal policy of your light fleet management
Train your drivers
Regardless of how long drivers have been working at the company, the training ensures that you standardize the processes for communicating safety standards, really effective driving habits and general rules.
Also because this care provides the opportunity to update drivers' knowledge, who will remain informed about new technologies and road safety practices.
Suggested reading: Training and fleet management: what are the academic courses for professionals in the area?
Monitor traffic behaviors
Risky behavior can be very costly to your company, and when it comes to the lives of people on the road, this value is invaluable.
However, we know that it would be unfeasible to designate a responsible person to evaluate each driver. This is where the fleet management system comes into play, as telemetry and video telemetry, delivering real data on the drivability profile.
From this, it is possible to monitor traffic behavior and promptly identify and correct any inappropriate driver practices. Whether individually, with feedback for each driver, or collectively, promoting educational campaigns.
Suggested reading: Video telemetry: a key change for traffic safety
Consider the responsibilities of each professional
Another fundamental step in creating a robust program is highlighting the role of safety culture. It is crucial that professionals are aware of the importance of safe driving and avoid risky behavior.
At a business level, there must be real, consistent disclosure and practices aligned with road safety. This must be considered by drivers and everyone involved in decision-making:
- Professionals responsible for defining requirements for the purchase and rental of vehicles
- Professionals in charge of determining routes and types of vehicles
- Managers responsible for fleet safety
- Professionals responsible for hiring new drivers and carrying out awareness and training actions
- Professionals responsible for ensuring adequate maintenance and preparing fleet manuals and policies
It takes a team. In this sense, the road safety program must encourage good practices, recognize good professionals and, above all, involve everyone in the same purpose.
Formalize your inspection process
Even with all the efforts dedicated to the fleet safety program, unforeseen events and accidents can occur, but if they result from defective parts and equipment, they could have been avoided.
Therefore, it is important that your inspection process considers three aspects:
- Simplicity: Carrying out daily, weekly or monthly inspections is an easy task and should be part of the routine. Drivers themselves can be trained to do this, which also promotes more active participation.
- Mobility: As fleets are mobile by nature, it is also important that drivers know what to do if they need to carry out an inspection outside their usual location.
- Accessibility: Inspection data must be shared between drivers, mechanics and managers, so each professional will perform their work even more effectively.
Have an accident diagnosis
Another valuable aspect for the fleet safety program is the diagnosis of accidents, mainly on how traffic accidents are first registered, who is responsible for consolidation and treatment.
There are different causes, such as material damage and personal injuries, so treatments must also be adapted to each situation.
- Problem detection: Incomplete or non-existent information can hinder progress, so it is important to correct any errors and ensure the quality of the information.
- Characteristics of accidents: Understanding how, where and with what type of vehicle and driver accidents occur is essential to define appropriate preventive measures.
- Key indicators: It is also important to relate the number of accidents to the mileage traveled and consider specific variables, such as type of vehicle, service and driver.
- Analysis of information: If certain types of professionals (hired for short terms, for example) or services are involved in a significant number of accidents, it is necessary to rethink actions and find specific solutions.
Promote effective security program communication
Communication is always effective, in any situation, but in the context of road safety it ends up being even more important, as it is an opportunity to educate, raise awareness and train employees.
This must happen in a clear, objective and accessible way, without difficult words. Because the important thing here is to convey the message, attract attention and achieve the expected results.
It is also important that communication is constant and consistent, so messages will be memorized and taken forward.
Remember that investing in a safety program is investing in the fleet itself, with positive results in efficiency, safety and productivity. As was evident, it is teamwork, and everyone must be engaged.
If you liked this content, you will also be happy to know that we have a complete and free guide on how to make drivers allies in fleet management, which you can access right now.
