Dangerous driving goes beyond financial losses. A driver’s negligence can cause accidents, injuries, and fatalities. It puts in danger the life of the driver and those around him. The most common causes of fatal accidents are speeding, alcohol and drugs, and driver distraction.
All of these are tremendous liabilities in the business, putting in danger also your brand and reputation. A driver monitoring system can help to offset these risks and help keep your fleet, drivers, and trucks safer.
What is a Driver Monitoring System
It is a common procedure to pull motor vehicle records to help ensure the safety of your fleet, and everyone around it on the roads. However, it might be time to put the manual systems (MVR) aside and make use of the Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) available to make the process faster, more efficient, and more time-effective.
Driver monitoring can transform driver risk management for your business.
Continuous driver monitoring software offers real-time notifications when drivers are violating traffic laws, or putting themselves and others in danger. The technology can offer vital information to reduce incidents on the road and deliver efficiency in road transport operations.
Benefits of Driver Monitoring Systems
The benefits of monitoring the drivers through DMS are endless. Safety is put at the front end and accessibility and control are on your side. Here are a few of the reasons why it can change your life.
1. Time efficiency for you
Pulling motor vehicle records (MVR) manually can be exhausting and time-consuming. It is a process that must be done bi-annually, and many times at the time of hire. A Driver Monitoring System helps make the process not only seamless but immediate.
2. Time efficiency for your clients
With data obtained by DMS, you are able to optimize your delivery strategy to save you time and overdeliver to your clients – translating into better customer service. Identify the best route and the best driver for the job, based on performance data.
3. Maintenance Cost Savings
Sharp braking, fast accelerations, harsh turns, and any other similar behaviors can cause your trucks to require maintenance more often. Safer driving does translate into better-maintained machine parts for the trucks.
Good drivers can save the company up to 12% on operating expenses, and bad drivers can increase operating expenses up to 13%. With a DMS, such behaviors can be identified and addressed. You are able to see and track how each driver performs.
4. Reduce Fuel Use
DMS provides data that can be used to analyze drivers’ behavior and routes, making it possible to come up with strategies to reduce the use of fuel and avoid downtime. Concurrently, the efforts become environmentally friendly and efficiently productive.
5. Safer Driving
Data proves a correlation between drivers who know they are being monitored and safer driving with an average of 22% reduction in monthly violations for drivers. According to the Hawthorne Effect, people will modify their behavior simply by knowing they are being observed. DMS provides monitoring tools that bring more awareness to drivers of their own behavior.
Studies have shown that vehicle telematics helps to reduce incident rates up to 60% in speeding events, and a rate range from 29% to 100% in high potential, catastrophic, major or serious accidents.
6. Eliminate accidents and delays
Because having safer drivers does mean having fewer accidents, insurance issues are mitigated. The only side effect from this can be fewer issues related to accidents, such as damaged vehicles, delays, and all the costs incurred with it.
7. Knowledge is Power
With the help of vehicle monitoring devices, such as a camera integrated GPS, DMS technology gives you access to information regarding your fleet at any given time.
You can have your fingerprints regarding when, where, and how your fleet is driven. You can also be notified of any issues that arise. The data can be accessed on the spot, or analyzed in depth later on.
Depending on the system used, data available can include speed, location, journey start and end time, acceleration and braking pattern, cornering, and seat belt use. All of this helps you make better decisions and have more transparency with your fleet.
8. Avoid potential problems
Identify negative driver behaviors and be able to address the situation directly and with a targeted strategy. Perhaps you recognize a pattern with one specific driver, or perhaps you discover a pattern among all drivers, and you realize it is an issue that needs to be addressed from the root of the problem.
The detailed data provided by DMS technology will allow you to avoid making the same mistakes for you and the drivers.
9. Provide Employee Support
Give drivers the opportunity to take responsibility to make the necessary changes by notifying them of any issues they might not be aware of. For example, a license status issue can be rectified if you are able to notify the driver before they realize there was a problem.
10. Team Work
DMS can be an incredible tool to fit within an overall safety program. For its success, communication of goals and expectations is key. To avoid making drivers feel like they are being micromanaged, including them in the process can be beneficial for all parties involved and can demonstrate how this is a support tool for the team.
Just like issues can be identified, great performance can also be pointed out and rightfully awarded. In-vehicle monitoring systems can help save lives, reduce the footprint in the ecosystem, and increase efficiency for your business.
Does your company use a Driver Monitoring System?
Atech Logistics is proud to use onboard cameras, electronic recorders, and other truck technology to monitor our drivers and fleet of trucks. If you’re looking to outsource your trucking fleet or ship with a dedicated truckload, we’d love to get in touch to see how we can help.
