While the last year has thrown many unexpected situations our way, one thing that remains is the need to keep drivers safe. Fleet managers may not always have the time to consider the culture of their business, or how it can influence driving behaviour, good and bad, but promoting a culture of safety can bring with it a host of benefits such as reduced incident rates and a more resilient fleet (click here to read more).
Take a look at our tips on how to get started creating a safety culture in your fleet:
Reinforce key messaging
Why? It can often be the case that even the most skilled drivers can become complacent with the vehicles they drive and the roads they use regularly. By reinforcing key road safety messages, drivers will be consistently reminded of some of the best ways to stay safe on the roads and and why it’s crucial to keep road safety in mind, even on familiar roads.
How? Our range of fleet safety poster are available to download free here. Tips posters are a great way of reinforcing key messages specific to your fleet. For example, if your drivers predominantly drive in built-up areas, or the winter months means they could do with some cold-weather driving advice, posters on these topics could be put in prominent areas to encourage safe driving regardless of the environment. Alternatively, contact your IAM RoadSmart account manager about print-ready tips posters and their deployment on CHOICES.
Consider changing advice on mobile phone usage
Why? Even the shortest phone call takes your attention away from the road. Business drivers may find themselves under pressure to multi-task, but it’s important to remember that managing these risks results in a safer environment for all road users.
How? If you are a fleet manager and need to contact one of your drivers on the road, do not expect them to answer right away. It is safer for them to pull over and take a hands-free call and factoring in time to do this will allow them to manage their distractions effectively. Updating your fleet policy to include these new expectations is a good way to manage the risk of mobile phone use.
Emphasise reducing stress
Why? Stress and at-work driving are not a good combination. Warning signs can include becoming easily irritated with colleagues, friends or family, feeling distracted, forgetful or moody, and not sleeping well: not ideal conditions for driving for work.
How? Take a look at our stress-reducing tips that you can offer your drivers here. Also, provide support to drivers who may be under stress by giving them contact details to charities such as Ben, a not-for-profit dedicated to supporting those in the automotive industry.
Share advice specific to your drivers
Why? Sharing generic advice will not resonate with specialist drivers, or those that operate under conditions unique to their driving.
How? Think about the type of driving your drivers do. If you mainly manage a grey fleet, drivers are likely to be driving during busy commuting and school run times, so will likely benefit from advice on pedestrian awareness and hazard perception. If your drivers mainly drive during the evenings or nights they may benefit from information on sleep cycles and correct resting times. Tailoring your advice to drivers will help to create a safer environment in which your drivers operate.
Get your driver training accredited
Why? Accreditation is great for rewarding employees by investing in their professional training. It can create a culture in which drivers self-promote the safety values of your business.
How? You can read more about getting your driver training accredited here. The process involves auditing any existing training, putting your internal training team through period of training and assessment, implementation, and ongoing quality assurance.
Contact us today if you’d like to find out more about establishing a safety culture in your fleet, or would like advice on implementing any of the tips in this article.
