At 60 mph, it only takes two seconds for a vehicle to travel the length of an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Losing focus, even if only for an instant, can be catastrophic. However, there’s a silver lining. It’s estimated that four out of every five crashes are caused by preventable distracted driving behavior.
Fleet distracted driving refers to any activity that diverts a driver's attention away from the primary task of operating a vehicle within a fleet. This can include visual, manual, cognitive or auditory distractions. Fleet drivers face unique challenges due to the long hours they spend on the road as well as their reliance on in-cab technology. Mitigating these distractions is essential for maintaining safety and minimizing the likelihood of crashes. With proper interventions, managers have the power to reduce fleet distracted driving, keep their drivers safe, limit the impact on insurance premiums and protect their company’s reputation.
Below, we explore a handful of strategies your team can implement to proactively prevent fleet distracted driving across your driver population.
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How Fleet Managers Can Prevent Distracted Driving
Update and Uphold Your Safety Policy
Creating a solid driver safety policy is the first step to building a strong safety culture in your fleet. From standard rules like prohibiting phone use to more company-specific policies, it's important to set clear expectations and provide guidance on common driving distractions, their effects and simple ways to reduce them.
But simply having a great policy isn't enough to prevent fleet distracted driving. It must be consistently enforced and encouraged.
Make sure you’re enforcing these eight critical components in your driver safety policy.
Keep the Conversation Going with Your Drivers
Regular communication between fleet managers and their employees is key. Sharing safety tips (like taking breaks to prevent drowsy driving) and discussing best practices should be part of everyday conversations and performance reviews. The more you talk about better driving habits, the sooner they'll become second nature. Keeping safety as a regular topic helps reinforce its importance.
Fleet managers should engage with their team often, offering reminders, updates and encouragement to keep safety standards high. This proactive approach strengthens the safety culture and ensures everyone is committed to safe driving practices.
Implement MVR Monitoring and Telematics
Continuously monitoring motor vehicle records (MVRs) is a great way to spot poor driving behavior early and intervene before it leads to bigger issues. With today's technology, fleet managers receive ongoing alerts about distracted driving violations, which are often indicators of future crashes. When an alert comes in, fleet managers can act quickly, providing targeted training to reduce future risks.
Telematics systems are also incredibly useful for monitoring driver behavior and identifying common distractions within your fleet. These systems can track everything from phone usage and lane departures to driver drowsiness, capturing a comprehensive picture of driving habits.
Fleet managers should be vigilant about several key behaviors that can significantly impact driver safety. These include phone usage, which can divert attention away from the road, eating or drinking, which requires manual handling and can lead to loss of control and adjusting in-vehicle systems like GPS or radio, which can cause cognitive overload. Additionally, fatigue and drowsiness are critical factors that can impair reaction times and decision-making. By regularly monitoring these distractions and implementing targeted training and policies to address them, fleet managers can help ensure a safer driving environment for their team.
Pro Tip: While telematics is a powerful tool for enhancing fleet safety, it's natural for drivers to feel uneasy about being monitored. To build trust, address these concerns upfront and emphasize that telematics is essential for employee safety and positive driver development. By being transparent and reassuring your team, you can foster a positive safety culture where everyone feels protected and valued.
Expand Fleet Driver Training and Awareness
As part of your comprehensive driver training program, be sure to include a section on the nature of distractions and practical strategies to prevent them. Your distracted driver training should encompass ongoing, proactive sessions to maintain driver awareness and reinforce safe driving habits, as well as remedial training to address specific behaviors identified through monitoring and feedback. By integrating these approaches, you can create a comprehensive program that effectively reduces fleet distracted driving and promotes a safer driving environment for your fleet.
Pro Tip: In addition to addressing distractions, it's important to foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement within your fleet. Encourage open communication where drivers feel comfortable reporting issues and suggesting improvements. Regularly review and update your training materials to reflect the latest best practices and technological advancements. By creating an environment where safety is a shared responsibility and everyone is committed to ongoing learning, you can further enhance the effectiveness of your driver training program.
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