As carriers continue gathering more data from a wider variety of sources, they’re starting to more easily identify gaps and trends. In many cases, they’re discovering a need to implement programs to improve driver safety performance.
The accelerating adoption of dashcams has highlighted the prevalence of driving behaviors like hard braking, fast acceleration and quick turning. This is a concern — and it’s one of the reasons Whip Around has seen more of our customers incentivizing drivers to reduce these behaviors, improve safety and minimize risk for carriers.
How can a fleet manager incentivize drivers?
One simple tactic many fleets are turning to: rolling out campaigns that encourage drivers to prioritize preventive maintenance, safety and fuel efficiency.
The playbook for improving safety and fuel efficiency looks similar to strategies for managing aggressive driving and promoting defensive driving. A few top tips include practicing gentle acceleration, anticipating traffic, keeping speed low and maintaining a steady speed using cruise control.
Preventive maintenance plays a role as well. For example, ensuring vehicles are properly maintained — with tires that are properly inflated at the right size and rating — can make a significant impact. The same goes for brakes, lights, engine oil and other key components of your vehicle.
And it’s all related to safety; we’ve seen customers use these themes as the foundation for incentive-based programs that reward the driver for adopting behaviors that improve safety.
A strategy backed by data
But don’t just take our word for it. Research published in 2022 in the Transportation Research Journal confirmed this impact by finding a clear relationship between maintenance, economical driving and traffic safety.
The study showed that companies that implemented fleet management systems to measure economical driving between 2013 and 2018 enjoyed considerable reductions in crash risk (52% and 36% respectively) and an improvement in safety culture.
Given the tangible safety benefits from implementing incentive-based driver programs, it can be win-win for all involved.
Where Whip Around fits in
At Whip Around, fleet safety is near and dear to our hearts. Our inspection and maintenance platform allows drivers to catch defects before they become dangerous problems, report those defects to their fleet managers and mechanics, then automate the maintenance process to minimize downtime and improve safety outcomes.
Book a demo with our experts to learn how Whip Around can help you build a culture of safety and compliance.
