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· 17 Feb 2021

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7 ways to achieve foolproof fleet safety

As a fleet manager, the biggest challenge is not running the routine operations but to ensure safety. There are many risks involved ranging from theft to crashes. They cause a break in the operations and result in a financial setback for the business. For preventing such cases, the managers need to be proactive and take the necessary steps beforehand. It involves developing a prevention and response mechanism, and the Fleet management system are helpful in this regard.

Good managers are those who prioritize the life of their drivers over everything. The driver’s protection comes with an additional benefit of vehicle safety which no manager can say no to. Different managers adopt different approaches to run safer operations. We will discuss the most effective ways in this blog.

Develop a Safety Policy:
If you develop a set of safety rules to follow for everyone, there is a lesser risk of mishaps. A safety policy containing several SOPs (standard operating procedures) is necessary to run operations in a secure environment. Some of the most important SOPs to add in the policy are as follows:

•    Daily pre-trip inspections
•    Regular Drug and Alcohol Testing
•    Speed limits
•    Maintenance problem reporting
•    Work shift limits

A comprehensive safety policy that covers every risk factor reduces the probability of accidents. There is also a need for someone who ensures the policy's implementation, and usually, managers play that role.

Prioritize Maintenance:
Despite all the precautions you take while vehicle selection, machinery is likely to wear and tear. The parts become rusty due to harsh weather conditions, and the excessive mileage also causes the vehicles to break down. The solution to all such problems is timely maintenance. With GPS tracking systems, you can organize maintenance work based on priority.

If you conduct service and repair after a long delay, then it is not that effective. Therefore it is essential to anticipate maintenance requirements to ensure that it is fruitful. When the vehicles are maintained regularly, they are less prone to malfunctioning. It reduces accident risk and improves operational productivity.

Deploy Security Systems:
It is essential to deploy a security system that can monitor every risky move during driving. These systems use several devices including the cameras, voice recorders, alarm systems, panic buttons, sensors, speed limiters wireless kits etc. All of these devices can be monitored through centralized software. The security system provides 24/7 surveillance of real-time scenarios. It prevents the risk of theft and also helps counter emergency better.

Hire Trained Drivers:
As drivers operate the vehicles, their competence is of great importance. Therefore, special care should be taken while hiring drivers. It is essential to look into every aspect, including technical and soft skills, professional attitude, experience etc. Ideally, you should hire a driver who has all these qualities. But in case you do not find such individuals, train them.

You must teach the drivers to adopt safety precautions and make them mentally strong to handle difficult situations. The money you spend on training will give you a great ROI (return on investment), ensuring secure operations.

Use Monitoring Software:
Setting precautionary measures without a mechanism to monitor them has no chance of achieving desired results. Therefore using a GPS tracking system that provides the real-time monitoring of fleet activity is the right choice. These solutions let managers remain connected to the real-time scenarios. It gives them a better chance to handle an emergency, preventing significant loss to the business.

Monitoring solutions use sensors to detect unsafe driving. Whenever there is any risky action, the software warns the manager to tackle the situation immediately. In addition to that, the driver verification feature reduces the likelihood of theft.

Manage Trips:
One of the biggest causes of road accidents is the tiredness of the driver. As driving commercial vehicles require more focus and effort, an overworked driver means disaster. Therefore it is essential to schedule the trips according to the work shifts. If a driver has completed their work shift, it is better not to assign them a trip. By juggling the trips between fresh drivers, you can achieve both safety and productivity.

Update Vehicles:
Old vehicles have weaker parts and are more likely to break down. On the contrary, new ones can ensure more efficiency and safety. Therefore, it is essential to keep on updating your fleet. The modern commercial automobiles provide inbuilt functionality to support various security and monitoring systems. You should not buy all new vehicles at once, rather changing one or two at a time is much convenient financially.

If you have a fleet consisting of new vehicles, you can run much safer operations. They usually have a minimum of 3 years warranty providing a backup option to a business in case of malfunctioning.

Achieving foolproof fleet safety is every business's desire, but finding the right method for attaining it is remains debatable. However, by following the details mentioned above, you can run risk-free operations.