As a fleet operator, you know that one of the biggest challenges in managing a fleet is dealing with drivers behaving badly. From reckless driving to speeding, aggressive behaviour, and distracted driving, these actions not only pose a risk to safety but also have a huge impact on a business’s finances, reputation and even customer relationships.
For many fleet businesses, drivers are instrumental in keeping everything up and running, but how drivers behave behind the wheel determines how far your fleet business can go.
There is good news though – fleet solutions can help combat bad driver behaviour effectively. In this article, we will explore how fleet solutions can address these challenges and provide practical strategies to promote safer and more efficient driving habits.
The impact of bad driver behaviour
Bad driver behaviour can have significant consequences for your fleet. Here are 6 ways that poor driving behaviours and bad road habits can cost your company money:
- Fuel consumption can be increased by up to 15% by bad driving habits, such as harsh accelerating and braking, rough gear changing and swerving.
- Driving and treating fleet vehicles poorly, increases wear & tear and leads to rising maintenance costs.
- Reckless driving will always shorten the life span of a fleet vehicle, which will cost money to replace – sooner than you would like.
- All road accidents and incidents that happen due to reckless driving, can increase the vehicle insurance costs and premiums across the fleet.
- Damaging any goods in transit are the responsibility of the delivery company being used, this is a major concern when accidents occur in your fleet.
- Poor driver behaviour and bad road habits can cause delays in your company’s service delivery and damage the reputation of your fleet.
Moreover, it affects customer satisfaction, damages your company’s reputation, and results in reduced productivity and increased fuel consumption. Recognising the negative impact of bad driver behaviour is the first step towards addressing the issue.
The role of fleet solutions
Fleet solutions offer a range of tools and technologies to monitor and combat bad driver behaviour, including speeding, harsh braking, and acceleration.
Dash cams and fleet cameras, for example, provide real-time insights into driver performance by capturing video evidence to identify risky behaviour, while driver scorecards help assess driver performance and identify areas for improvement.
These fleet solutions act as your eyes and ears on the road, empowering you to take proactive measures to combat bad behaviour.
How do you spot it?
1. Utilise real-time alerts and notifications
Real-time alerts are probably the most efficient way to act proactively and correct any dangerous driving behaviour as they happen. To be more specific, you will instantly know if one of your drivers is:
- Accelerating abruptly
- Exceeding the speed limit
- Braking harshly
- Cornering too quickly
These alerts may save lives – if not your business – from incalculable costs and a bad reputation.
2. Analyse your fleet vehicles’ travel logs
Analysing your fleet vehicle trip logs is another efficient way to improve fleet driver behaviour. Travel logs offer an overview of driving activity. Over time, you will begin to see specific driving patterns and habits, which you can address in your training programme.
3. Identify driving patterns
Through your vehicle management platform, you can set metrics to determine what driving behaviour is considered hazardous. Based on this data you can generate driver behaviour reports and driver scorecards to help monitor progress, improve fleet driver behaviour, and increase operational efficiency.
4. Promoting safe driving habits
With fleet solutions in place, you can implement various strategies to promote safe driving habits among your drivers.
Driver training programmes and clear fleet policies are an effective way to educate and train drivers on defensive driving techniques, road safety, and the consequences of bad behaviour such as tailgating or frequent lane changing, can be addressed.
Regular coaching sessions based on data from fleet solutions can help drivers improve their performance and make better decisions on the road. Incentive programmes provide positive reinforcement and recognition for drivers who consistently exhibit good behaviour.
Fleet solutions can also help combat distracted driving by providing tools to prevent mobile phone usage while driving, and monitoring driver focus on the road.
Speeding is a common issue that increases the risk of accidents. By utilising fleet solutions, you can monitor speed violations, set speed limit alerts, and provide immediate feedback to drivers.
5. Realising the benefits
By actively combating bad driver behaviour with fleet solutions, you can reap several benefits. Improved driver behaviour leads to reduced accidents and associated costs, lower insurance premiums, increased fuel efficiency, and extended vehicle lifespan. Furthermore, promoting a safety-oriented culture improves employee morale, enhances your company’s reputation, and fosters stronger relationships with customers.
It’s time to take control of your fleet’s behaviour, contact Netstar today.