By following a few simple guidelines, your company can be on the right track towards improving the safety of your drivers, vehicles and company as a whole.
Risk and safety issues are matters of top priority for many senior managers. Companies aiming to a safer fleet need to commit to a number of safety measures.

Here is your brief checklist for creating a culture of safety within your fleet:  

1. Driver Safety Policy

•   Create a safety policy – poor vehicle care and poor driving records result in an inability to identify risky drivers
•   Improved driving safety – provide drivers with guidelines on driving behavior and safety
•   Apply proactive vehicle maintenance as a properly maintained vehicle leads to a safer vehicle to drive

2. Driver Safety training 

• Keep drivers on track with quick, timely continuous coaching with a focus on driving remediation and retention rather than discipline
• Create general safety awareness for all your drivers and provide them with key safety tips
• Teach drivers the importance of good driving behavior and focus on ongoing training for improvement 

3. Manage fleet risk

•   Identify fleet related risks 
•   Allocate responsibilities to fleet manager and make him accountable for monitoring and measuring risk on an ongoing basis  
•   Implement vehicle maintenance program proactively servicing vehicles with a view to maximizing safety protection 
•   Identify low, medium and high risk drivers 
•   Review, assess and monitor driver risk and fleet risk on a regular basis

4. Create a Culture of Safety

•   Elevate employee engagement supported by a strong safety culture and create a sense of awareness for your drivers within your company
•   Apply effective communication tools focusing on the importance of safety
•   Use  incentives for good driver behavior thereby improving individual driver performance and reaching your overall safety goals

 
The Bottom Line:
Driver safety for companies is an expense rather than a revenue generating force. Successful managers will think ahead, to find ways in which they can leverage on the knowhow and experience of other well performing companies to help them increase the effectiveness of their safety programs.
By committing to safety, your fleet will avoid accidents and all the related costs and benefits from increased driver uptime, lower maintenance expenses etc. In conclusion, companies that choose to apply the above mentioned guidelines will quickly improve the overall safety of the business and contribute positively to improved profitability.