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Keeping drivers safe while they are out and about is critical to ensure their wellbeing. However, whether they are safe also impacts other drivers who are on the road, and this impacts your bottom line. The transportation industry is often dangerous because of how many injuries have occurred. However, you can keep your drivers safe by training and rewarding safe behavior.

Get Drivers the Right Training

Your drivers need to be properly trained so they know exactly what is expected of them. Regular training will ensure they stay up to date with any regulations in their area. The types of vehicles you have may determine whether they need specialized training, like if they need to get a commercial driver's license. While you might assume that all your vehicles are commercial because they are used for your business, a narrower definition is given by the FMCSA. You can learn more about regulations for commercial vehicles and how to tell what type yours are.

Another way of training your drivers is using in-person coaching. This means a fleet manager will work with the driver to review footage that was filmed while the employee was on the road. This is a great opportunity for the manager to point out behaviors such as tailgating, phone use, or inattentive behaviors. This can help your employees change their behavior before an accident occurs. You can also use dash cams that help you keep an eye on what is happening inside the cab. They might be able to alert you if a driver seems distracted, and you can then offer feedback to encourage them to correct their behavior right there. Many times, they will correct risky behavior before a manager is alerted.

Encourage Defensive Driving Practices

Defensive driving is a part of encouraging employee productivity, and it simply refers to always keeping an eye out for changes in road conditions or the area they are driving in. It requires them to anticipate potential danger before it happens so they can make better informed decisions. Defensive driving can keep your employees from getting into as many accidents, which can reduce the cost of insurance premiums and repairs.

Come Up With a Regular Maintenance Schedule

If the vehicle isn't safe, neither will the employee driving it be. If a truck is not up to date with maintenance, it is more likely to break down when out and about. You can use telematics to help you keep an eye on things like engine data, brake pad changes, and oil changes. With this information, you can create a better preventative maintenance schedule, which can factor in things like mileage and previous repair history.

Perform Careful Inspections Before and After Trips

Careful inspections of all your vehicles can help you ascertain that they are safe before they leave your facility. Many times, regulations require inspections to be done before leaving, but make sure you are using the right tools to document these inspections. Some apps allow your drivers to submit a report directly from their phones. You can then check on any unsafe submissions.