9 Tips for Effective Company Driving Policies

Every year, 1 in 4 work vehicles will be involved in a crash. Source

There are 9 key tips you can follow to make sure your company driving policies are effective.

The reality is that vehicle-related fatalities are the most common cause of death in the workplace. Vehicle safety is largely influenced by drivers and their attitudes towards driving safely. Developing company driving policies should provide everything the driver and the company need to do to minimise risk to the driver, the public and the company.

1. Training

Behaviour-related driver training has been shown to be effective in changing drivers’ attitudes. It trains drivers to know that they can be part of the solution by changing their approach to driving. Shifting attitudes to driving is one of the very best ways of reducing avoidable accidents.

2. Pre-drive checklist

A pre-drive checklist might include issues about the vehicle, which could be unfamiliar to the driver. It could also cover situational factors such as weather or traffic conditions. Most critically, it can cover the risks and attitudes the employee should remember to make the drive safe for everyone.

3. The amount of rest the driver needs before driving

Being awake for more than 16 hours is like having drunk more than 2 standard drinks and a blood alcohol content of more than 0.05. Almost 1 in 7 fatalities in Queensland are a result of fatigue-related crashes. Effective company driving policies should state how much rest a driver needs before taking the wheel.

4. Time spent at the wheel

The Stop, Revive, Survive campaign reflects the point that fatigue can be deadly. Authorities recommend drivers have a 15-minute break every 2 hours and never drive more than 10 hours in one day. It’s up to companies to set appropriate times for their business.

5. Drug and alcohol standards

It goes without saying that all drivers need to comply with state laws concerning drug and alcohol standards. But many companies go beyond this to set their own tougher standards, which drivers need to accept.

6. Observing speed limits and other road laws

Speeding is estimated to be a factor in more than 50% of crashes. And in South Australia, three-quarters of these occur in 50 and 60 zones. So, reducing the proportion of drivers who exceed the speed limit by small amounts will have the biggest impact. Setting strict company driving policies about speeding will protect your drivers and the public.

7. Measuring or Telematics

Management guru Peter Drucker says, “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” Measuring the driving behaviour of employees is a vital step in managing the risks of their driving. Driving logbooks with motion sensors are very good at measuring driving habits. They can create a safety score that compares drivers and allows high-risk drivers to be identified for further training.

8. Oversight and Enforcement

This is where many company driving policies come unstuck. An ineffective policy is one that says all the right things but has no mechanism to ensure it’s being followed, and no consequences for not following it. Company driving policies need line manager support and oversight to ensure the policies are observed. Since much of what happens with driving is beyond supervision, a key strategy is applying technology to automatically monitor driver behaviour and produce reports. It’s then a matter of having a management plan in place to deal with high-risk driver re-training, counselling or other risk reduction approaches.

9. Reminders

This comes down to technology again. Automation means that it’s possible to generate safety reminders for drivers, so they get the reminder information they need at the right times to help them improve their driving and reduce the risk of accidents.