Driver coaching is essential for any organization that has a presence on the road. Below, in this article, you can find the details about why you need to provide adequate coaching to your drivers.
Aggressive and distracted driving behavior not only leads to dangerous situations for the organization but can also cause irreplaceable damage to its brand image.
The most hazardous part of an automobile is the person behind the steering wheel. For the same reason, it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the safety of their drivers and others on the road.
Training the drivers is the first step towards driver safety. But the benefits of coaching go well beyond the safety concerns of individual drivers.
With the help of modern technology and real-time driver monitoring systems, you can take your organization’s productivity to new heights.
Here are some immediate benefits that your organization can leverage through technology-based driver coaching.
Improvements In Driver Behavior
Studies have shown that one of the best ways to prevents accidents and control costs is by providing behavior coaching to drivers.
But behavior coaching works best when drivers get real-time feedback from an in-vehicle behavior monitoring technology.
The system lets managers know whenever there occurs incidents of harsh braking, sudden acceleration, or fast cornering so that immediate feedback can be taken.
The software also provides audio alerts to both drivers and managers in case of any violations on the road.
When armed with technology and real-time data, managers can effectively conduct driver coaching leading to improved driver behavior.
Fewer Accidents
Most of the time, traffic accidents are attributed to negligent driver behavior or distractions.
These accidents can be preventable through proper coaching and setting fleet-wide safety protocols that all drivers must follow.
When managers have access to the driver’s behavior report on a timely basis, they can easily monitor unsafe practices. This way, they can call out individual drivers and work towards their improvement benefits to reduce accidents.
Cost Saving
Regular investment in training and monitoring programs can give you a significant return in the long run in the form of cost savings. Here are a few examples.
Fewer Tickets
Tickets can get expensive in accumulation and also hamper driver productivity. But as long as fleet operators are trained to drive within the posted speed limit, tickets will not be your concern.
Fuel Cost
The way a vehicle is driven has an impact on its fuel efficiency. Aggressive driving behavior and excess idle time are often linked with inefficient fuel consumption. You can avoid these through training and monitoring.
Fewer Vehicle Damages
Excessive wear-and-tear of a vehicle is a consequence of rash driving behavior. For instance, hard brakes cause the brake pad to damage and rotors to warp.
Improving driver behavior can dramatically lower signs of vehicle damage and eventually save you from expensive and unwarranted repairs.
Worker’s Compensation Saving
The fewer the accidents, the lower the chances of your employees sustaining injuries on the road – as a result, your fleet staff’s compensation claims will also decrease.
Fewer Administrative Expenses
Once an accident occurs, many administrative expenses come to the surface, such as crash investigation, handling vehicle repairs, reassigning personnel, and rescheduling jobs.
Fleet operators and managers can avoid these needless costs through driver training.
Increased Productivity And Customer Satisfaction
There are many more benefits to driver’s training than just keeping the drivers safe.
Organizations that rely on delivery drivers have reported a measurable increase in productivity after they deployed mobile technology that enables driver coaching.
Greater productivity leads to increased customer satisfaction and retention, to the point of being enormously profitable for your company.
Competent Drivers And Reduced Overall Risk
Your drivers can encounter many problems while driving, such as bad weather, other irresponsible drivers, and busy road work sites.
While some of these are external risks, training reinforces the fact that risks do exist and empowers drivers to be prepared for such situations.
Irresponsible behaviors like using mobile phones while driving, driving without adequate sleep, or operating a vehicle while inebriated are likely to lead to an accident.
Through risk management training, drivers are better aware of corporate policies around responsible driving and the direct consequence of their actions.
What’s more, well-rounded training includes a recommendation for reducing pain or fatigue while driving.
Such comfortable driving ideas decrease health hazards that arise from continuous driving, keeping the employees healthy and productive.
Improved Regulatory Compliance
Organizations can improve their overall regulatory compliance by coaching their drivers on applicable regulations and keeping them updated with changes in rules and laws.
Along with training, regular monitoring of drivers is also essential. When fleet drivers are aware of being monitored throughout their job, they are more likely to comply with all the rules.
Drivers Are Better Prepared For Roadside Inspection
Well-trained drivers are prepared beforehand for inspection stops. The driver’s attitude and preparedness make a huge difference during such stops.
When drivers are coached about what they need to do, they can handle the inspection with confidence, saving valuable time and energy.
Development Of Safety-Conscious Company Culture
An organization’s culture largely dictates how its employees behave. Managers with real-time visibility into every individual driver’s behavior know the good and bad habits of their drivers.
They can thus proactively conduct individual coaching based on their performance and avert any kind of mishaps on the road.
Increased Employee Retention
Driver coaching programs lead the way to constructive communication between managers and drivers. These interactions are essential to help establish good working relationships within the organization.
When employers show concern for the safety of their employees and co-workers, it leaves employees feeling appreciated and cared for, thus leading to increased employee retention.
Improved Brand Image
Unsafe driving behaviors cause accidents, property damage, and decreased productivity – damaging your reputation and causing loss of business opportunities.
Safe driving habits lead to fewer accidents, improved productivity, heightened customer satisfaction, and increased employee retention.
All in all, these elements combined result in an improved internal and external image of the organization.
Conclusion
The success of your training efforts will largely depend on the instructor providing the information.
Trainers should be able to convince the drivers that the training material will ultimately enhance driver safety and make their jobs easier.
Hence, make sure to choose a trainer who has enough experience working with fleets and who understands the unique challenges that commercial drivers face on an ongoing basis.
