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Driver Safety – A guide to reducing risk

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By Barney Goffer, UK Product Manager for Teletrac Navman

For fleet managers, the first step to improving driver safety is knowing which metrics to capture in order to then create meaningful KPIs around them. This is where connected fleet management solutions come in – making everyone’s lives easier.

Connected fleet management solutions such as the ones we offer at Teletrac Navman can help fleet managers measure elements of driver behaviour and gain a clear picture of driver performance and levels of risk. Our latest solutions enable fleets to digitise coaching and incentive programmes, to help drivers identify and correct high-risk actions.

One of the key risk areas for fleets is distracted driving, which is now much easier to monitor thanks to smart dashcams placed in the vehicle. Smart dashcams can be lifesaving – they review every minute of drive time through forward and driver-facing cameras and utilising AI, signals of driver fatigue or distraction can be detected and acted on before an incident occurs. Driving behaviour can also then be reviewed retrospectively to develop sophisticated and engaging driver coaching.

Speeding is something that raises risk levels in any situation, so that’s another key factor we need to consider when implementing safe practices. With smart solutions, fleet managers can compare driver speeds with posted speed limits and set alerts based on their own thresholds. In addition to safety, reducing speeding events will also help to decrease unnecessary fuel usage which is an important business KPI.

Connected fleet management solutions can also give a fleet manager a clear picture of whether a driver engages in behaviour contrary to their safety goals, such as harsh cornering, aggressive acceleration, or heavy braking – the latter of which may indicate too much speed being carried or a delay in responses. In addition to impacting safety these actions also affect the condition of a vehicle and increase unnecessary maintenance costs, but also impact insurance premiums if the aggressive driving leads to an accident.

To recap, a firm understanding of driver behaviour and how certain behaviours add or reduce risk is vital to building a comprehensive driver safety program. Connected fleet management software now helps identify poor driving behaviours in real-time so that actions can be addressed and corrected before an incident occurs, while also more clearly identifying incidents for post-event training.

Risks can be drastically reduced when fleet managers are empowered with visibility and to be able to develop fleet safety programs proactively, deliver highly tailored training programs, and build driver trust through the personalised approach, transparency and immediacy of the training.

Take 30 seconds to fill out Teletrac Navman’s online solution builder and learn about the fleet safety technology being used by fleets around the world.

Lightfoot’s Elite Driver Championship reveals first winner

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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Lightfoot has announced the first four-figure winner of its new driver engagement initiative, the Elite Driver Championship.

Providing prize draws ranging from £1,000 to £7,000, the new, big cash prize pot joins the suite of rewards that Lightfoot Elite drivers can win through the Lightfoot driver app, including its weekly Drivers’ Lottery, where individuals can win up to £200.

The difference with the Elite Driver Championship is that to be eligible for the big-ticket cash prizes, drivers must maintain an average score at or above 85% – Lightfoot’s Elite Driver Standard – for the duration of the prize draw.

That’s exactly what Tom Curtis of DeterTech in Telford achieved, bagging himself £4,000 in the very first draw.

Launched in April, the Elite Driver Championship gives drivers who consistently achieve the Lightfoot Elite Driver standard the chance to win £1,000 every single month, as well as the opportunity to enter the mid-year bonus bonanza, where three drivers will win between £500 – £2,000.

At the end of year, drivers who have maintained the Elite Driver Standard from April through to December will be eligible for the Championship Christmas cash pot of £7,000. Three drivers will also win between £500 – £2,000.

Paul Hollick, Managing Director of Lightfoot, said: “Adopting a driver-focused rewards-based approach has been a game changer for fleets using our ‘beyond telematics’ tech. Now, thanks to Allianz’s sponsorship, we have serious sums of money on offer that can be won in the Elite Driver Championship. We believe this will lift driver engagement to all-time highs, week-in and week-out, helping to streamline the process of fleet management.

“That’s important because drivers who actively engage with Lightfoot through the app perform at least 10% better drivers than those that don’t, which means that fleet managers only need to focus on the few drivers that consistently fail to hit KPIs. In terms of fuel savings, emissions reductions, driver safety, and lower accident levels that’s huge, bringing immediate and lasting benefits to fleets, their drivers, and the environment.”

Lightfoot’s in-cab device engages with drivers in real-time, delivering ‘in-the-moment’ nudges that modify driving styles for the better, aided by audible end-of-journey scores. This guides drivers towards their weekly goal of achieving Elite Driver status, which unlocks access to weekly prizes, The Drivers’ Lottery, and the Elite Driver Championship.

Lightfoot’s ‘beyond telematics’ approach has helped fleets achieve engagement of 90%+, realising average fuel and emissions savings of up to 15%, EV range extension of up to 15%, as well as reductions in at-fault accidents by up to 40%, wear and tear costs by 45%, and vehicle idling by 24%.

Since the launch of the Drivers’ Lottery in 2019, Lightfoot has given away over 111,000 prizes, with a total value just shy of £370,000, and has helped cut CO2 emissions in fleets by over 200,000 tonnes, reducing fuel use by almost 90m litres.

Clean Air Zones: Why you should refresh your knowledge of motoring law

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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Clean Air Zones are appearing in a growing number of cities around the UK. If your vehicle does not meet emission standards, you’ll have to pay a daily charge if driving in the city centre. With active Clean Air Zones already underway in Bath, Birmingham, Bradford and Portsmouth, other cities like Bristol, Manchester, Sheffield and Newcastle are following suit, with staggered charges to be implemented from winter 2022.

UK drivers are encouraged to give their knowledge of the highway code a refresher – alongside the new Clean Air Zones, you could be caught out by the implementation of a couple of recently updated driving laws. Just 40% of Britons feel ‘very familiar’ or ‘fairly familiar’ with the highway code, though it’s important to ensure your knowledge is regularly updated.

Allan Hetherington, Head of Prestige Car Finance at Anglo Scottish Asset Finance, comments: “Many drivers are concerned about rule changes regarding Clean Air Zones because of the varying introduction dates and classes. But they’re also surprised to find their existing knowledge of motoring law isn’t up to scratch. There are plenty of driving nuances that could land you in hot water with the law, so we always recommend staying up to date with the latest law changes.”

Anglo Scottish Asset Finance, which worked with Bath and North East Somerset Council on its Clean Air Zone, has highlighted two new rule changes as well as some common areas where UK drivers may be likely to slip up.

Key points

  • Just 40% of Britons feel ‘very familiar’ or ‘fairly familiar’ with the highway code.
  • Failure to pay Clean Air Zone charges within 6 days of your journey could result in a penalty charge notice.
  • After an update to the mobile phone use law, drivers can no longer use their phone whilst driving for any purpose. Previously, drivers were not allowed to use their phone to communicate but were permitted to use it to change songs and other small tasks.
  • Contrary to common belief, eating or drinking behind the wheel is not illegal. However, if you’re deemed to not be in proper control of the car, you could receive a £100 fine and three penalty points.
  • Splashing a pedestrian with rainwater could net you a fine of up to £5,000 if you’re adjudged to be driving without proper consideration for others.
  • You could receive a fine of up to £1,000 in court if you’re caught paying with your phone whilst the car engine is running and handbrake is off.
  • You could receive a minimum of 10 points on your licence and a fine if you’re caught sleeping in your car whilst drunk.
  • Flashing your headlights to give way could result in a minimum fine of £30.

Clean air charges

Depending on your vehicle, you may be subject to charges whilst driving in one of the new zones. The rules of the new Clean Air Zones are in effect 24/7, 365 days a year, meaning drivers could easily be caught out during a late-night journey.

If your vehicle doesn’t meet the emission standards, you’ll be liable to pay the charge. There are four different classes of Clean Air Zone in your city – A, B, C, or D, and they determine the types of vehicles covered. Drivers should also be aware that, if eligible, they have six days to pay their charges, or they could receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

The new mobile phone laws

Communicating on a mobile phone at the wheel has been against motoring law for many years – drivers talking or texting on the phone while driving have long been subjected to £200 fines and six penalty points on their licence. However, until recently, drivers were permitted to use their phone for non-communication purposes, such as changing the song they were playing.

The new law stipulates that UK drivers may not use their phone whilst driving for any purpose. In order to use any unmounted handheld device behind the wheel, you must be parked with the engine switched off.

This means that you could even be in trouble if you use your phone to pay for a meal at the drive-thru. Any driver caught using their phone whilst driving could then receive a further fine of up to £1,000 in court, so you could end up with a VERY expensive Big Mac if you’re not careful!

Eating and drinking at the wheel

The actual act of eating or drinking whilst driving is not strictly illegal. However, if you’re distracted behind the wheel while enjoying a bite to eat and are spotted by officers, you could still be breaking the law. If they deem that you aren’t in proper control of the car, you could be on the receiving end of an on-the-spot fine of £100 and three penalty points.

Turning on a light in the car

At some point or another during your childhood, the chances are that you’ve turned on a light in the car, only to be scolded by your parents and told it’s illegal. Despite this long-held myth, there’s no law against driving with interior lights on. If the light is adjudged to be distracting for you or even other drivers, however, you may be charged with careless driving.

Splashing a pedestrian with rainwater

Ever driven through a deep puddle and drenched a pedestrian? Sometimes, avoiding a puddle might be impossible. However, if you’re deemed to have driven ‘without reasonable consideration for other persons,’ you could be in (hot) water yourself. In that event, you could face a fine from £100 up to an eye-watering £5,000.

Smoking in the car

Smoking in a car on your own, or in a car full of adults, is not illegal. However, if there are any under-18s in the car with you, smoking is not permitted and has been illegal since 2015. Offenders could be punished with a £50 fine and five points on their licence – even if it’s one of your passengers who is smoking with a child in the car.

Driving in incorrect footwear

Did you know that certain types of footwear are prohibited behind the wheel? Though it’s not against the law, Rule 97 of the Highway Code states that ‘the footwear and clothing you wear whilst driving must not prevent you from using the controls in the correct manner.’ This means any footwear without a closed back or strap could earn you a £100 fine, as they could slide off your feet or get stuck under the brake pedal – so no flip-flops!

Improper use of the hard shoulder

When you’re stuck in standstill traffic on the motorway, the hard shoulder could look like a great way to get around. However, since March 2018, this has been a finable offence. With fixed charges of £100 and three penalty points to be dished out for hard shoulder users, don’t get caught out!

Sleeping in the car whilst drunk

You’ve had a few too many and – correctly – decide that driving would be far too dangerous. Probably best to sleep in the car and drive home in the morning when you’ve sobered up, right? Wrong. The law states that whoever is in charge of a vehicle should not be inebriated, and police have often classed sleeping owners as being ‘in charge.’ You could therefore receive 10 points on your licence and a substantial fine.

Flashing your lights to give way

You see it daily on the road – a driver flashing their lights to allow another driver through, or to allow a pedestrian to cross the road. Many of us see this as a polite and helpful gesture, but you aren’t legally allowed to do this – you could encourage someone to make a manoeuvre when it isn’t safe. Using your headlamps in this way could carry a minimum fine of £30.

So, how many of these infractions were you aware of? And how many have you managed to avoid doing so far? It’s always worth giving your knowledge of the road a refresh from time to time to ensure that you are driving as safely as possible for yourself and the other drivers on the road.

Improving driver behaviour: Using telematics for safety & engagement

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By Richard Hemming – VP Customer Success, GreenRoad Technologies 

Did you know that ~94% of accidents are caused by driver error? (Source: NHTSA)

That’s why, if you want to make a real impact on fleet safety, you have to focus on the driver.

The good news is that almost all drivers – given the right tools and incentives, can improve their safety dramatically – even overnight! 

When drivers get accurate real-time feedback about their driving and positive re-enforcement, almost all of them start improving immediately, paying more attention to the road and driving more carefully. This strengthens the fleet’s safety culture, resulting in significant, rapid reductions in accidents (often over 50%), fuel consumption (or charge range for Electric Vehicles) (10%-20%), maintenance costs and risk. And these benefits continue to build over time.

The Challenge: Driver Buy-In
Unfortunately, every fleet has “resistors”: drivers who remain attached to their “aggressive” (our words) or “skilled and confident” (their words) driving styles. Truthfully, no one likes being told that they are poor drivers – particularly not from a manager.

That’s why a real time, in-vehicle self-coaching approach is so important. When drivers are put in control of their own safety, with second-by-second guidance provided by artificial intelligence-powered coaching rather than by an outsider, the drivers are able to independently reach their own goals with minimal management intervention.

Driver empowerment can be taken even higher by adding in gamification elements. Once driver safety is tracked – especially via objective Safety Scores – it can be rewarded with peer and management acknowledgement and prizes. Even simple “leader boards” can work wonders: no one wants to see their name at the bottom of list!

Just Download and Go
Today, any fleet can implement real-time, in-vehicle driver coaching and gamification by simply downloading an app onto their drivers’ mobile devices. And the online world makes competitions easier than ever to run – whether inside a single depot, or company-wide.

The opportunity is literally in your hands. The sooner your drivers “click”, the sooner you will experience the benefits!

GreenRoad Technologies, a leading provider of fleet safety telematics, provides advanced digital solutions for real-time driver coaching and safety gamification.

LinkedIn group – Fleet Management Networking Community https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8694097/

Did you know that ~94% of accidents are caused by driver error? (Source: NHTSA). That’s why, if you want to make a real impact on fleet safety, you have to change the behaviour of your drivers. In this article, GreenRoad’s Richard Hemming, FCILT, discusses how the latest telematics technologies can make it happen with automated tools and apps for real-time driver coaching, friendly competitions and engagement.

#driverbehaviour #safetytelematics #fleetmanageemnt #app

Redstone Rail enhances driver safety

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Real-time audible feedback proves incredibly effective in changing driver behaviour in less than two weeks. Redstone Rail Ltd, a market leader in the supply of specialist engineering resource to the Rail industry, has announced that it has installed Lightfoot’s award-winning in-cab technology across its fleet of 30 commercial vehicles.

Introduced to ensure enhanced safety, Lightfoot’s driver behaviour technology has seen an immediate improvement in driver awareness and performance, while increasing MPG by 5.3%. 

Redstone Rail enhances driver safety.