Write Driver Safety Policies With Telematics Data

With more distractions on the road than ever before, accidents involving construction fleet drivers are on the rise. In fact, the annual accident rate for commercial fleets is now 20%. To ensure the well-being of employees and protect the business from the far-reaching liability that accidents cause, construction organizations are implementing telematics to solve their biggest safety challenges.

To ensure driver safety is embraced and consistent throughout the entire fleet, construction businesses are writing safety policies around the use of telematics and using them as the foundation of their safety programs. When writing a new safety policy to include telematics data or adding the use of telematics into current policies, following these best practices will help ensure they are as effective as possible.

Use Policies to Coach Drivers

Once safety policies are put in ink and presented to the organization, the most important use case is using them to train employees on safer driver behavior. Employees should always receive coaching from management, and having documentation around speeding, harsh braking, rapid acceleration and vehicle maintenance will hit these points home. For larger construction organizations, distributing these policies across all branches or divisions will ensure every driver receives the same information about what’s expected by the business.

Define Consequences

While policies should primarily be used to coach drivers - not to punish them - there does need to be a clear explanation of the consequences when employees do not adhere to safety policies. Penalties might range from strikes to termination. Whatever the consequences may be, drivers should be made aware before ever operating a company vehicle.

Transparency

When using telematics data as part of a fleet safety policy, it is a best practice to introduce the technology with complete transparency to employees. It’s common for construction businesses to experience backlash from drivers about tracking their vehicles without their knowledge or not clearly explaining how they intend to use the telematics data.

For a safety policy to be most effective, it should not be a surprise when telematics data is used to hold drivers accountable. It’s recommended for managers to present the use of the telematics data as part of the new policy and how it will be used to measure performance before coaching drivers.

Embrace Safety Companywide

To make a real impact on fleet safety, construction organizations should drive home the message that safety is a core company value — and that its importance is embraced at every level of the organization, from executives, managers and supervisors to every driver in the company. Creating a culture of safety is key to the broader acceptance of the policy.

Review Safety Policies Annually

Along with writing strong safety policies initially, policies should be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure they are up-to-date and include the best telematics data. Telematics software is continuously advancing, so reviewing what data is being used versus what’s currently available ensures relevancy of the policy. When working with a telematics provider that offers an account manager, they will help identify the best telematics data to include in the policy to ensure important safety goals are achieved.

There's an old saying in the business that says, "software is never finished." The new reality for construction organizations is, "Driver training is never finished and should be a continuous." The key to a successful safety initiative revolves around driver knowledge, which starts and ends with driver training. There's no substitute for it, therefore driver training should go beyond a one-time effort to being an ongoing effort for construction organizations. By writing a driver safety policy around telematics data and using it to coach safer driving habits, safety initiatives become safety realities for construction fleets.

For more information about Why GPS Insight is the right telematics partner to help solve safety challenges for construction businesses, contact GPS Insight.

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