How to Use GPS Tracking

3 Tips for Keeping Drivers Safe During Winter Weather

Driving in winter weather presents unique challenges to drivers, not just professional ones. It tends to make us over-confident with all-wheel-drive vehicles, which causes skidding across the ice.

If drivers don’t change their approach, it leads to severe and potentially fatal consequences.

We know the basic rules of thumb for driving in winter weather:

Slow down | Leave extra distance to the car in front of you | Turn the wheel into a skid

For professional drivers and employees who drive company vehicles, there’s an added layer to safer driving in winter weather, GPS tracking.

Here are three tips on how to use GPS tracking to keep drivers safe during winter weather.

How to Use GPS Tracking to Prevent Accidents

Usually, people set GPS tracking alerts with some room for driver error. Leaving this room for drivers includes setting posted speed alerts which do not trigger unless the driver is traveling at least ten mph over the posted speed limit or set high speeding thresholds in general where the alert only hits if the driver is going above 80 mph.

A best practice during winter months is to set these thresholds much lower and become more stringent on violating these expectations. For example, setting the posted speed limit violation threshold to two mph over the posted speed of the road to ensure that drivers are staying close to the limit and taking their time getting to their next stop.

When you become stricter on monitoring certain behaviors during harsh conditions, it will curb them much faster – forcing harsh condition best practices:

Stay Alert on Dead Batteries

Batteries die faster in cold weather, especially when they sit for extended periods. It’s vital to start vehicles now and then. With GPS tracking, you have the capability of monitoring the voltage on batteries.

Alerts can be sent to you informing you when batteries drop below a specific voltage. Setting this alert serves as your reminder to start the vehicle or do some investigation to prevent a dead battery.

Help Drivers in Distress

You can’t prevent every situation. Accidents do and will happen. Vehicles also break down in harsh conditions.

A panic button for drivers serves as a last resort.

In case of emergencies, drivers can use panic buttons to let dispatchers/home base know they need help. Using panic buttons makes it easier to send help in emergencies for drivers.

Give the Cold Shoulder to Winter Weather

While driving in winter conditions presents unique challenges, you can do something to prevent any issues that may arise. The goal is to stay safe, prevent/reduce accidents, and keep insurance costs low. All of this is achievable through proactive measures taken with GPS tracking.

Author: Lance Holt

Content Marketing Specialist