Did you know that fleet vehicle accidents count among the most costly of injury claims in the world of business? In fact, the average cost of a loss tied to a vehicle accident goes as high as $70,000- almost double the cost of average injuries at the workplace. Having a formal fleet safety program is therefore imperative for any company. A specially designed safety program is superior to a generic one. But the latter is also better than no program at all. If you wish to learn more about the role of these safety programs for a company, these next few lines should be helpful.
Fleet Vehicle Safety Programs = Zero Accidents?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Specially created fleet safety programs can however set up the exact procedures that will be put into practice to ensure employees work in a safe environment. These programs are also used as protection against liability from accidents.
There is however no actual guarantee that no vehicle accidents will take place once a company will develop a formal and custom-made safety program for its fleet. Proper screening, testing, and training however can significantly lower the risks. Higher levels of security on the road, topped by employee satisfaction are just a few of the immediate advantages of using a formal security program for a fleet. Increased productivity and work efficiency are also direct results of implementing the right fleet safety program.
What Should A Good Formal Fleet Safety Program Consist Of?
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In order for a fleet safety program to be effective, it first needs to be comprehensive and updated with the latest procedures and policies. The program needs to be properly introduced as part of the safety culture of the company.
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The more detailed, self-explanatory, and thorough, the better it will reach employees who will actually get behind the wheel.
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A top fleet safety program should first accurately identify all drivers, especially when non-owned vehicles are being used. Managers need to know exactly who is driving each of the flee vehicles on behalf of their business, as well as drivers who use their personal vehicles or rentals. All drivers should go through careful screening processes in order to set up a reliable and dependable team on the long-term. Determine clear hiring standards and constantly have them assessed and improved.
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Training is also mandatory in order to introduce all vehicle safety policies and procedures to your drivers. Make sure they all have free access to information tied to your safe driving procedures. Train your drivers how to be defensive drivers and teach them what to do in case of emergencies, when they need fast auto car keys replacement or something similar.
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Written policies will work best, as they can set clear expectations and instructions on how to act in case a vehicle lock or ignition gets broken or jammed, keys get lost or duplicated without official consent, or transponder systems stop working the right way. While drivers are not obliged to possess automotive locksmithing knowledge and skills, it would be helpful to hire drivers who have many years of experience in the field
