Building the business case for driver safety

I speak to clients every week, many of whom face the same problems. Driver safety, where does it sit? There is often an HSE manager who has responsibility for all things 'on site' and a fleet manager who is responsible for all the vehicles themselves but who is actually taking responsibility for the driver conduct?

Then, once we work out the answer to that question we can usually agree that a driver safety programme is a good idea. There should be something in place that goes beyond 'do you have a valid license?', here's some keys. But what should that look like?

There is a myriad of different solutions almost all of which offer the client 'valuable insights'. What does that mean in reality? A lot of data - which may identify high risk drivers, but doesn't necessarily give you the answer as to what to do with them once they've been identified! Our programme has training content in over 25 languages as well as helpful coaching guides.

But the person responsible, having decided a safety programme is a good idea now faces the big question - what's the business case?

Well put simply, driving is THE biggest risk the majority of employees face, and by far and away the biggest cause of work related deaths. But that doesn't sound like a business case does it?

So we have to look at this in terms of a cost saving opportunity - and it's one that speaks for itself once it's well understood.

If a driver safety programme such as our Mentor App is put in place, clients can expect a minimum 20% reduction in crashes. But also, reduced cost of vehicle maintenance, reduced speeding violations and reduced work place injuries, not to mention the potential law suits that can come after an incident. So these are the key metrics that need to be quantified.

I had a client who was spending on average over $2000 per year repairing minor damage on cars and small vans. With over 700 in 1 country...i'll let you do the maths! A driver safety programme which reduces this minor damage can have serious impacts when it comes to budget. Some of our other case studies can be found here!

It can be as simple as training drivers how not to reverse into things...it sounds silly, but honestly that is one of the biggest vehicle damage causes we see with our clients...I know you're nodding reading this!

The one thing I say over and again with our programme, an app based safety solution, is that it gives education and accountability directly to the driver. It helps us create the Crash Free Culture and has a direct impact on savings.

So to conclude -

1. Find the right person in your organisation to lead driver safety
2. Find a solution that gives you more than just insights but help with intervention - Mentor is a great option!
3. Make your drivers accountable for their safety behind the wheel.

Combine these three elements and you have your business case that WILL save you money!

If you'd like to find out more, drop me an email [email protected] or call me +447704 338111