According to the Department of Transport in the United Kingdom, in 2015 there were 162,000 injuries and 1,730 deaths due to traffic accidents. The safety of your fleet drivers and their well-being is becoming increasingly important as the number of drivers and traffic accidents increases. Anything fleet companies can do to protect themselves and their employees is worth considering. GPS tracking offers efficient security and information measures for companies that have fleets of vehicles, and today we will cover a few aspects to show that this is indeed feasible.
For starters, GPS tracking helps drivers get much less distracted by electronic devices while driving. Drivers really shouldn’t be checking the map or the upcoming job on their smartphone while driving, as distraction is a leading cause of car accidents. Drivers must keep their eyes on the road at all times. As a means of eliminating distractions, drivers can preset their daily routes prior to departure, or dispatch management can handle all route updates for drivers. Supervisors can provide verbal feedback to help drivers steer clear of heavy traffic, hazards, and road construction. For companies with multiple vehicles in their fleet, a GPS tracking system can be seen as a telematics device, offering detailed vehicle and driver reports.
Despite the common concern that your employees will be annoyed by having a GPS tracker installed to check their daily routine and driving habits, it has been proven that doing so will yield good results that will also benefit your drivers. GPS tracking tends to make the job of fleet drivers easier, giving them more protection and less time spent analyzing and organizing time cards or check sheets. Every time your driver gets into the vehicle, the GPS tracking software records the time and location, and stores this data for 6 months. Plus, features like preset routing, notifications, and speeding alerts give drivers a new standard of convenience and safety on the road.
In addition to the security provided by mapping and guidance systems, GPS tracking software reports routes taken, speeding, sharp turns, and heavy braking. This is a solution that encourages drivers to establish less dangerous behaviors on the road. Driver behavior can be documented in detailed reports and used to establish an incentive program if managers choose to do so. Fleets can easily establish the routines and behavior of their drivers, allowing managers to provide instructions to their drivers in advance.
The reality is that most drivers slow down only in inclement weather, such as rain or snow, but to be safe on the roads, you should always drive below the speed limit. When a fleet supervisor can identify high-risk drivers, they can take appropriate action with those who may not be an asset to the company. GPS tracking devices make it much easier to find out everything about your vehicles and drivers so you can develop a workaround when necessary. The data obtained could be turned into reviews that can also be perfect for reducing other unwanted expenses, including speeding tickets. By using the information provided by vehicle tracking systems, fleets can easily increase the safety of their drivers and vehicles, as well as reduce unwanted expenses.