4 Reasons Why Fleet Vehicle Telematics and Driver Safety Go Hand-in-Hand

Posted by: UBI Telematics Category: Telematics Solutions for Fleets, Usage Based Insurance (UBI)

According to a recent ABI Research report, the use of vehicle telematics in fleets will reach over 50 million vehicles by 2019, according to Claims Journal. What’s even more impressive about this growth is that it’s expected to happen across a broad section of the commercial vehicle industries. Construction companies, government sector fleets, taxi cabs, ambulances and firetrucks, delivery vehicles and utilities will all become valid markets for the telematics industry over the next four years.

Gareth Owen, a principal analyst for ABI Research, pointed out that strict “duty of care” compliance standards for fleet companies will continue to be a major driving force for telematics adoption over the next few years, a trend that highlights the potential for fleet telematics to make a big difference in terms of driver safety. There are several reasons that fleet telematics and driver safety go hand-in-hand, and exploring these benefits emphasizes what the technology has to offer to your fleet.

1. Telematics provides logistical data that fleet drivers need
Even basic telematics systems will provide fleet managers with everything they need to keep an electronic log of where their fleet vehicles have stopped and to track of the location of every driver in real time. Fleet managers with access to this information are better equipped to react to emergencies, redirect drivers from driving into unsafe driving conditions and receive alerts of an accident or maintenance issue as they occur. The big boost of information that telematics puts fleet companies in a better position to protect employees from harm, so drivers can feel safer on the road knowing that their route is under the watchful eye of managers and dispatch.

2. Electronic logs encourage accountability
Fleet companies that continue to use pen-and-paper methods of collecting spending reports from drivers put themselves at risk for fraud. Alternatively, utilizing telematics to track vehicle locations and fleet fuel cards to record gas purchases eliminates this scenario of doctored documents from the equation. The right technology can help streamline your company’s accounts as easily as the fleet’s performance – keep your eye open for a telematics solution that can also ease the company’s daily logistics to truly maximize your technology investment.

3. Driver performance data can be used to target unsafe behaviors
Automotive Digest explained that telematics have shown to be especially effective at helping companies eliminate unsafe behaviors like speeding and idling. Eliminating excess speeding reduces a driver’s chances of a collision. Likewise, less idling means less time spent in parking lots where accidents in and out of the vehicle are liable to happen. Telematics systems can even be used to monitor seat belt usage. Access to data on these behaviors gives fleet managers the leeway to have frank conversations with drivers about their parents and exactly how they can improve. The same data can also be used to create improvement benchmark for employees experiencing performance challenges.

4. Targeted repairs mean fewer chances of unexpected downtime
One indirect safety advantage that telematics offers your fleet is the ability to create detailed, targeted maintenance schedules. Repair and replacement schedules based on individual vehicle data collected by telematics offers mechanics greater insight into when replacement parts like brake pads are in need of replacement. A more streamlined maintenance strategy eliminates downtime created by vehicle spending time in the shop and protects drivers from unexpected malfunctions on the open road. The use of telematics data for maintenance helps to reduce repair costs for the entire fleet as well.

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