{"id":48384,"date":"2022-04-14T16:00:29","date_gmt":"2022-04-14T16:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gpsinsight.com\/?p=48384"},"modified":"2023-03-02T12:29:08","modified_gmt":"2023-03-02T19:29:08","slug":"eliminating-distracted-driving-how-technology-and-coaching-can-improve-fleet-operations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gpsinsight.com\/blog\/eliminating-distracted-driving-how-technology-and-coaching-can-improve-fleet-operations\/","title":{"rendered":"Eliminating Distracted Driving: How Technology and Coaching Can Improve Fleet Operations"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Eliminating Distracted Driving:<\/strong><\/h1>\n

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How Technology and Coaching Can Improve Fleet Operations<\/h2>\n

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April: the harbinger of spring, renewal, and possibility.<\/p>\n

Flowers are blooming, families plan new adventures, and baseball fans across the country await Opening Day, full of hope that this will be their year.<\/p>\n

April is also Distracted Driving Awareness Month<\/a>, a time for all drivers to examine their road habits and take responsibility for their choices while behind the wheel. For fleets, it means reassessing driver safety fundamentals, a re-emphasis on driver coaching, and implementing techniques and technologies that can reduce accidents, improve efficiency, and save money.<\/p>\n

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Simple Formula: Phone + Driving= More Accidents<\/h2>\n

Distracted driving\u2014any activity that diverts attention from the task of safe driving\u2014has become a significant danger, with cell phones the leading culprit.<\/p>\n

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving claimed 3,142 lives in 2020<\/a> and injured more than 420,000 drivers. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety<\/a> found that distracted driving is responsible for nearly 60% of teen crashes, and the National Safety Council reported that cellphone use accounted for 27% of all car accidents<\/a>. That\u2019s unsurprising because, at 55 MPH, a quick glance to read or send a text diverts attention from the road for five seconds, long enough to travel the length of a football field. In fact, cellphone use behind the wheel increases the risk of a crash by 165%<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Unfortunately, drivers tend to think their behavior on the road isn\u2019t the problem. While 87% of drivers<\/a> said texting and driving is dangerous, another recent study showed<\/a> 70% of drivers admitted to using a mobile device while driving in the past 90 days!<\/p>\n

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Distracted Driving Poses Significant Risks for Fleets<\/h2>\n

No single industry is more impacted by distracted driving than transportation, and public and private fleet managers must deal with the rising liability and safety risks it brings. According to the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS), crashes caused by distracted driving cost employers $18.8 billion in 2018<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To begin with, it is not just your drivers you have to worry about. Younger drivers that grew up living on their phones and electronic devices have carried those bad habits to the road and\u2014as noted above\u201470% of drivers admit to using a mobile device while behind the wheel. One or more of those distracted drivers may be one lane over from your vehicle.<\/p>\n

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Of course, not all distracted driving incidents lead to an accident, but it can still be costly to your operation. A distracted driver might miss a turn or fall behind schedule, impacting fuel usage or customer service.<\/p>\n

Distracted driving impacts your fleet in several ways:<\/p>\n

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Driver injury and costs: <\/strong>An accident involving your driver could result in medical expenses and workers\u2019 compensation claims.<\/p>\n

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Vehicle damage: <\/strong>Vehicle damage requires costly repairs or replacement costs and leaves fleet operators with one fewer vehicle on the road.<\/p>\n

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Damaged reputation: <\/strong>Distracted driving incidents can lead customers or potential customers to believe your company doesn\u2019t pay attention to details or is unreliable.<\/p>\n

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Increased insurance costs<\/strong>: Even minor accidents can lead to higher insurance premiums. A driver\u2019s furtive glance at a cellphone could lead to significantly higher bills.<\/p>\n

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Expensive lawsuits: <\/strong>Distracted driving accidents can lead to expensive lawsuits. If someone claims your driver\u2019s actions caused injury or loss, the company can be put at risk.<\/p>\n

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Tech & Telematics: Just Part of the Solution<\/h2>\n

Effective fleet management solutions, such as GPS tracking<\/a>, collect pivotal data and provide real-time alerts of driver behaviors that could be a sign of distracted driving. Smart camera technology<\/a> can monitor facial and eye movements to determine the use of a phone or other device, or detect driver fatigue, prompting an alert or warning to the manager and driver. Used in combination, these tech solutions establish critical benchmarks to help prevent accidents and reduce litigation and insurance costs by monitoring:<\/p>\n

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Speed: <\/strong>According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,\u00a0more than a quarter of all traffic fatalities were related to speeding<\/a>. Telematics software alerts fleet managers if a driver exceeds a certain speed.<\/p>\n

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Running Red Lights or Stop Signs: \u00a0<\/strong>This behavior is a significant source of injuries<\/a> and can lead to much higher insurance rates if one of your drivers is cited.\u00a0AI-powered smart cameras inform fleet managers of this dangerous\u2014and potentially expensive\u2014behavior and provide the data to address it with further training.<\/p>\n

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Following Distance: <\/strong>Tailgating is one of the most dangerous driving habits and a chief cause of accidents. Smart Camera tech determines if your drivers violate the three-second rule and helps correct this behavior.<\/p>\n

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New Tech + Coaching = A Winning Fleet<\/h2>\n

The rise of smart data\u2014GPS Tracking and dash cam solutions\u2014in commercial and government fleets has led to the advent of more effective driver coaching programs. <\/p>\n

Combining GPS tracking, dash cams, and driver coaching is the perfect solution to prevent accidents rather than just react to them. It\u2019s the best way to reduce insurance costs and losses related to potential lawsuits. Evaluating the insights from these devices and giving drivers fact-based feedback is the key to safer fleets. [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”|off|” admin_label=”Blog Intro Text” _builder_version=”4.16.0″ text_font=”||||||||” link_font=”|700|||on||||” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”36px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”30px||||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”||30px||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_font_size_tablet=”36px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

5 Keys to Effective Driver Coaching Programs<\/h2>\n

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Getting Started<\/strong>: Select the technology you want to use, create safety policies around it<\/a>, establish benchmarks, and get driver buy-in for the solutions.<\/p>\n

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Train Drivers on the Technology<\/strong>: Don\u2019t just install a solution and wait to see how it goes. Train drivers on how the technology works from end to end so they can hit the ground running with positive driving behaviors. \u00a0<\/p>\n

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Critical Measurements: <\/strong>Every fleet has its own challenges, but measuring speed, distracted driving, red-light running, and tailgating provides the key insights to determine risky or costly driver behaviors.<\/p>\n

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Setting Goals for Improvement<\/strong>: Baseline data help set measurable, achievable goals. Reward safe drivers and give lower-performing drivers a chance to improve through modeling.<\/p>\n

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Make Driver Coaching Part of Your Culture<\/strong>: Once your drivers improve, continue their coaching sessions even if they\u2019re performing well. Be sure to recognize and reward your safest drivers.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_text disabled_on=”|off|” admin_label=”Blog Intro Text” _builder_version=”4.16.0″ text_font=”||||||||” link_font=”|700|||on||||” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”36px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”30px||||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”||30px||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_font_size_tablet=”36px” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Build a Safer Fleet<\/h2>\n

Through better data and coaching, fleet managers can build a culture of safety that prevents distracted driving and improves performance. Implementing GPS tracking and smart camera technology\u2014 paired with consistent driver education and safety coaching\u2014can reduce costs, improve safety, and enhance overall fleet operations.<\/p>\n

So here\u2019s the question: Does your organization need GPS tracking, dash cams, or both? We\u2019ve got a guide that can help you make the right decision!<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ module_id=”download” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#0d3453″ custom_padding=”10px||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”900px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.gpsinsight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GTDCOB-Cover.png” alt=”GPS Tracking and Dash Cams ebook” title_text=”GPS Tracking and Dash Cams ebook” url=”https:\/\/www.gpsinsight.com\/forms\/download-form\/?form-page=BLOG&download-name=gpsi-gps-dashcam-both&download-type=report” align=”center” show_bottom_space_tablet=”” show_bottom_space_phone=”off” show_bottom_space_last_edited=”on|phone” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”center” align_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” width_tablet=”190px” width_phone=”50%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”200px” module_alignment=”right” custom_margin=”40px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”50px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”50px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_padding=”||||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” hover_enabled=”0″ module_alignment_tablet=”center” module_alignment_phone=”center” module_alignment_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_cta title=”GPS Tracking, Dash Cams, Or Both? Determining the Right Fit for Your Organization” button_url=”https:\/\/www.gpsinsight.com\/forms\/download-form\/?form-page=BLOG&download-name=gpsi-gps-dashcam-both&download-type=report” button_text=”Download ebook” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”|600|||||||” header_font_size=”26px” background_color=”#0d3453″ custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”18px” button_bg_color=”#de141d” button_border_width=”0px” button_border_radius=”5px” button_font=”|700|||||||” button_custom_padding=”10px|35px|10px|35px|false|false” text_orientation=”left” custom_padding=”|0px||0px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”|0px||0px|false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” link_option_url=”https:\/\/www.gpsinsight.com\/forms\/download-form\/?form-page=BLOG&download-name=gpsi-gps-dashcam-both&download-type=report” hover_enabled=”0″ button_alignment_tablet=”center” button_alignment_phone=”center” button_alignment_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month\u2014a time for us all to reflect on our habits behind the wheel. For fleets, it\u2019s also a time to reassess driver safety fundamentals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":48420,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"

\"\"<\/a>For the most part, companies with outside sales teams, such as pharmaceutical companies, have not adopted GPS tracking software to monitor their reps. There have been a number of reasons as to why they haven\u2019t, two of which being privacy issues and the hardwired installation of the devices. These are two legitimate issues that we have the answer to.<\/p>

GPS Insight has been selected by Garmin to integrate with the fleet 590 device, which is a portable device that combines GPS tracking<\/a> capabilities for fleet management and the simplicity of Garmin navigation.<\/p>

Problem #1: Invasion of Privacy<\/h2>

Since outside sales teams are typically given a company leased vehicle, reps use them for work and for personal use. The issue lies with tracking their employees during off hours and weekends. Sales reps understandably don\u2019t want their employer having insight to what they do with their personal time.<\/p>

The Garmin fleet 590<\/a> device can be taken out of the vehicle on evenings and weekends so that the invasion of privacy conversation goes right out the window.<\/p>

Problem #2: Installing a GPS Tracking Device<\/h2>

The fact that the majority of GPS tracking software providers sell hardwire installed devices is a problem for companies with outside sales teams, like pharmaceutical companies, seeing as they usually lease vehicles. Fleet managers do not want the hassle that comes with messing with wiring on a vehicle they do not own. This would also make it cumbersome to move the devices from vehicle to vehicle as new reps leave and come on board or as vehicles get traded in.<\/p>[caption id=\"attachment_1989\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]\"Garmin<\/a> Garmin fleet 590 GPS tracking device[\/caption]

The Garmin fleet 590 device plugs into the cigarette lighter for power and ignition on\/off recognition. This device works perfectly for companies with leased vehicles, because all professional installation costs and downtime are eliminated.<\/p>

How GPS Tracking Benefits Outside Sales Teams<\/h2>

With those 2 obstacles aside, GPS tracking software provides not only fleet managers with an array of benefits, but it also supplies sales managers of outside sales teams with powerful information, they wouldn\u2019t otherwise have, to help optimize sales operations.<\/p>