Plumb Safety: Fleet Safety – Enforcing a Culture of Safety on the Road

Fleet Safety: Enforcing a Culture of Safety on the Road

Distracted driving awareness month may be behind us, but fleet safety continues to serve as a leading threat to lumber businesses nationwide. As recently as 2022, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported 3,308 deaths related to distracted driving accidents. At PLM, we continue to see frequent and high severity auto claims from our insureds. Every day, we work with our business owners to help them better understand and implement risk mitigation strategies to reduce that risk exposure.

In addition to distracted driving, our leading claim drivers are rear-end accidents, changing lanes or sideswiping and right-of-way violations. For business owners in the lumber space, the majority of the damage often comes after the accident, as they navigate repair or replacement costs for vehicles, potential downtime and injuries of company drivers, workers’ compensation claims and more.

What can lumber business owners do to better enforce a culture of driving safety and limit auto claims? Here are a few best practices to consider:

• Hire the right drivers: The lumber industry is facing a driver shortage, but that is no reason to settle when hiring. Strong drivers are critical for fleet safety. Any potential hire should be thoroughly screened in advance. Companies should also consider promoting reliable workers from within to join their fleets. The addition of continuous motor vehicle record (MVR) monitoring can also help managers track driver performance and incidents rather than the one look at the time of hire.
• Invest in the latest technology: There are several technological advancements that can significantly improve fleet safety. Telematics data can inform fleet managers of poor driving behaviors and provide training and incentives to correct these behaviors. Driver-facing cameras can reduce the risk of collisions and help exonerate your drivers in not-at-fault accidents. And automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems can help eliminate highway accidents. Consider investing in these technologies to reduce auto risk.
• Build a fleet safety program: All lumber businesses with fleets should have a written fleet safety plan that thoroughly outlines best practices This plan should outline specific safety goals, provide regular training and educational opportunities and resources as well as highlight the common risks drivers need to keep in mind.

Commercial auto claims may be rising, but lumber businesses can take control of their fleets and limit incidents with the right investment in hiring, training, and technology. But having written plans or investing in technologies is only one part. Making sure that policies are enforced and actively using the technology is imperative in building the culture of safety in your organization. Before making any changes, business owners should also consult with PLM to help integrate these advancements into their workflow and ensure drivers are properly practicing safety measures. For more information on fleet safety, please consult PLM’s loss control guides here: https://www.plmins.com/loss-control/loss-control-guides/auto-fleet/.