Fleet safety: how to reduce risky behavior in your fleet

Risky driving behavior can have consequences for your fleet and business as a whole. But more importantly, dangerous conduct on the road puts your drivers at risk of serious injury and even death.

That’s why, as a fleet manager, it’s essential to take proactive steps to recognize, analyze, and reduce bad driving habits in your fleet. Thankfully, there are plenty of great tools out there that can help you do just that — and fairly easily, too.

Risky driving behaviors that threaten your fleet safety

There are myriad poor driving habits, some more common than others, but all are equally important to be aware of. Typically, the following behaviors are the ones most likely to cause accidents and potential injury:

• Speeding: Driving over the speed limit or too fast for road conditions (wet, low visibility, etc.) can reduce drivers’ reaction time, with one-third of fatal car accidents being speed-related according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA).
• Aggressive driving: This includes behaviors like tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic, and aggressive overtaking, all of which can lead to accidents and potentially road rage incidents.
• Distracted driving: Using mobile phones, eating, or engaging in other distractions while driving diverts attention from the road, jeopardizing the safety of your driver and other road users.
• Fatigue: Driving for extended periods without adequate rest can lead to fatigue, impairing reaction times and decision-making skills. If worse comes to worst, drivers may even fall asleep at the wheel.
• Ignoring traffic signals: Running red lights, disregarding stop signs, or failing to yield the right of way can lead to collisions.

If poor driving behavior is left unchecked, accidents, injuries, and damage to your fleet vehicles can increase the cost of operations significantly.

The importance of fleet risk management on operational costs

Before exploring the best ways to recognize and reduce risky driving behavior, it’s important to understand the business impacts of drivers making poor decisions while on the road.

Impacts to safety

• Accidents and injuries: Risky driving increases the likelihood of accidents, leading to injuries or fatalities among drivers and potentially others on the road. According to the latest statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than 14,500 employees were involved in fatal occupational roadway accidents between 2011 and 2022.
• Vehicle damage: Aggressive driving, speeding, and other risky behaviors contribute to increased wear and tear on vehicles, making them less safe to drive over time.

Impacts to business

• Maintenance expenses: With increased wear and tear comes more frequent vehicle maintenance and repairs to keep fleet vehicles in good working (and safe) order. 
• Downtime: Accidents that leave your vehicles dormant in a shop are detrimental to operational efficiency. This can affect delivery schedules and overall productivity across your business.
• Legal consequences: Traffic violations and collisions due to risky driving behavior can result in legal consequences, such as fines and penalties, for your drivers and your business. This can lead to additional costs for legal fees and increased insurance premiums.

All of these safety and business impacts can add up. According to the most recent data from the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS), traffic accidents cost U.S. employers $72.2 billion annually.

Luckily, technology that augments fleet management, such as telematics, GPS, dash cams, and vehicle diagnostics, can help you reduce risky driving behaviors.

How to reduce risky driving behavior with fleet risk management

Telematics plays a crucial role in mitigating risky driving behaviors by providing fleet managers with near real-time data and insights into driver performance and vehicle operations on the road.

Driver monitoring and real-time tracking with telematics

Telematics systems track and monitor driver behavior, including speed, acceleration, braking, and even adherence to traffic rules. Using premium GPS tracking technology, fleet managers can identify risky driving patterns such as harsh braking, sudden acceleration, or speeding to coach better behavior.

Additionally, you can track drivers’ locations and activities, including time spent with customers. To take it a step further, consider integrating telematics and fuel card data for a clearer picture of driver activity.

With WEX telematics, you can even reward drivers for their safe driving — further incentivizing good driving habits.

Fleet safety cameras provide visual evidence

Dash cams help protect drivers when accidents or harmful scenarios happen by collecting visual evidence to reduce the chance of unwanted outcomes. Footage can, in turn, be used in court to prove innocence and help keep insurance costs down.

Fleet driver safety training

Using the data collected through WEX telematics, dash cams, and fleet fuel cards, fleet managers can build constructive training, feedback, and coaching sessions based on actual driver data to reinforce best practices and encourage safer driving.

Data across your fleet is organized into one easily digestible dashboard that makes it easy to access and understand.

Increase driver safety using telematics

Risky driving behavior shouldn’t be an expected business expense. Unsafe road habits put drivers at risk of serious injury — and increase your operational costs across the board, from insurance premiums to unscheduled maintenance.

Learn more about how WEX telematics and GPS tracking solutions can help keep your drivers safe — and your budget intact.

WEX speaks the language of small business operators. Whether you’re looking to modernize your insight and reporting efforts, save on fuel costs or take advantage of the latest GPS tracking technologies, WEX offers solutions to simplify the business of running a business. To learn more about WEX, a dynamic and nimble global organization, please visit our About WEX page.

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