Many companies run a fleet of vehicles. If you run a haulage company that transports raw materials to the mining industry, safety and reliability are paramount. But, even if you only manage a couple of small delivery vans, the same principles still apply.

Fleet safety needs to be a top priority for any manager or business owner. By creating the right culture, you can avoid accidents, a loss of productivity, and liability claims. Here are X ways to ensure your fleet of vehicles is managed with safety and effectiveness in mind.

Lead from the Top

It is pointless implementing new safety policies if senior management is not on board. Health and safety are only effective when the entire management chain buys into the policies. Fleet safety needs to be a strategic objective for the business, so make fleet safety and reliability a core issue for every department, including HR and sales.

Invest in Quality Vehicles

Fleet safety begins with your vehicles. Instead of saving money by running old, worn out vehicles that should not be on the road, invest in good quality trucks or a beavertail trailer. Investigate leasing arrangements with reputable companies; this might be a more economical solution for larger companies.

Implement a Maintenance Plan

Fleet vehicles need to be regularly maintained. Regular maintenance carried out by experienced mechanics will pick up problems before they become a serious safety issue. If you don’t have the resources to provide an in-house maintenance facility, look for a reputable, local company to carry out regular maintenance on your fleet.

Keep itemized records of all vehicle maintenance. Your system should send out alerts when maintenance checks are due, and also when a vehicle has reached a milestone. Once a vehicle begins to show serious signs of wear and tear or reaches a specific age, remove it from your fleet and replace it with a new one.

Educate Drivers

Hire experienced drivers and make sure they are trained in driver safety and etiquette before they begin working for the company. Minimum driver standards need to be implemented. All fleet drivers must be on board with company safety policies. Remember that, in the eyes of the law, employers are responsible for the actions of their drivers. Manage risk by running regular training sessions to remind drivers of the standards expected of their driving performance. Do not place delivery targets above driver safety, as this will end in disaster.

Monitor Driving Standards

You must screen all drivers and run regular reports on a driver’s performance. Monitor driving standards and make it easy for members of the public to report a dangerous driver in your fleet. Use telematics software to monitor performance and if the software flags up any issues or you receive a verified report of unsafe driving, take appropriate action with the driver concerned. Penalize bad drivers and reward good drivers.

If there are any accidents or violations within the fleet, analyze what happened and see if there is anything you can do to prevent a future recurrence.