Environmental, Health and Safety News, Resources & Best Practices

Help Your Fleet Drivers Succeed with These Basic Safety Measures

Written by EHS Insight Resources | February 16, 2017 at 9:19 PM

Dangers abound for fleet drivers who often drive long distances before their workday is over. That can lead to distraction, fatigue, and more. Make sure your drivers are safe with this handy checklist of basic safety principles.

1. Set Them Up for Success with On-Schedule Vehicle Inspections

Find out what’s wrong with vehicles before something becomes an issue. It’s in keeping with an overall approach to workplace safety that stresses prevention. Very often, it’s not the driver’s fault when something goes wrong on the road. Collisions and breakdowns can be caused by driver error, but they are also caused by mechanical problems. Drivers need to ensure compliance and safety at all times, and that can be done through routine audits and inspections

2. Help Them Prepare by Monitoring the Weather

Be proactive when it comes to the weather. Real-time monitoring software, apps, and clear communication at all times will help your drivers stay ahead of bad weather.

3. Keep Them Informed About Driver Wellness Programs

Whether it’s training to inform drivers of the importance of regular exercise and stretching or it’s a workshop on meditation techniques they can use on the road, wellness programs are essential for fleet drivers. Scheduling safety training (see training tracking software) and keeping attendance data on all of your employees is easy to manage with web-based software.

4. Keep Them On Top of Hazardous Materials Safety Procedures

Everyone in the workplace needs regular training and reminders about safe material handling and safety procedures. Fleet drivers are no exception—especially since very often they’re all alone on the road. Regular reminders are helpful, and they’re a cinch to set up with the ehs management software.

5. Help Prevent Distracted Driving

Radios, cell phones, tablets, and the sheer boredom of highway driving all combine to provide easy temptation for drivers to become distracted. Keeping everyone up-to-date on training and sending out regular reminders about the importance of safety can help prevent distracted driving. Recording driver behavior works, too. Advanced hardware, modern software packages, and savvy reporting can give safety managers a complete picture of what’s going on in a vehicle, even in real time.