How to ensure the safety of your drivers and vehicles

2020/07/29

Over the past few years, the issue of the safety of heavy vehicle drivers and road users has generated a great deal of attention, leading to several new legislation aimed at improving and regulating the transport of people and goods. Here are four ways to keep your drivers and vehicles safe:

The driver

The most important factor when it comes to the safety of the driver and his vehicle is his mental and physical state. This is why several new laws have been put in place to oversee driving hours in order to reduce the effects of fatigue associated with excessive driving. Through proper management of working hours and rest periods, every carrier must ensure that its drivers are assigned routes and work schedules that allow them to remain alert and rested. In addition, a quality navigation system can contribute to this effort by allowing drivers to plan their stops ahead of time and stay focused on the road while the system generates optimized routes and guides the driver. Finally, a communication or messaging system that offers security features such as audio playback and voice recognition is also essential to ensure safe driving.

The vehicle

The proper operation of the vehicle is essential in order to reduce the risk of accidents on the road. A simple and efficient driver vehicle inspection solution that ensures routine vehicle inspection and rapid malfunction management should be a priority for any carrier. An electronic driver vehicle inspection solution ensures compliance and safety for drivers and vehicles while reducing the time and effort required during the inspection. In addition, it provides managers with access to real-time information to make quick decisions and correct any defects before they pose a hazard on the road.

Training and education

Training drivers in eco-driving is a great way to raise awareness of the manoeuvres and behaviours that lead to dangerous driving. By equipping drivers with the knowledge they need to ensure safe, efficient and professional driving, you will be able to permanently implement new practices that allow for continuous resource optimization and reduce the risk of accidents.

Tracking

An Automatic Vehicle Location system (AVL) offers the possibility to track vehicle movements in real time - a huge advantage in terms of driver safety. Accompanied by an alert system, the AVL allows managers to immediately notice any abnormal movement, attempted theft or other dangerous events. At the same time, a driver identification tool, via chip, code or electronic logging device, further increases the safety of the carrier's operations and allows not only the tracking of vehicles, but that of drivers as well.