10 Questions to Ask When Considering a Driver Risk Management Program

It's 2012 and you're finding that the number of collisions in your fleet are either increasing or staying the same. Adding to your pain is that the severity of these collisions is also increasing. You know it's time to put a safety program in place or enforce the one you currently have. But, where do you start?

Start with drivers -- they can have a huge impact to the cost of operating your fleets.

Ninety-five percent of all collisions involve driver error. Programs that focus on the causes of poor driving to eliminate driver error have been proven to prevent collisions and faulty claims, while also reducing fuel consumption and maintenance costs. Effective programs can also reduce property and auto liability and Workers' Compensation claims.

But, how do you know which is the best system for you? The following are the top 10 questions you should ask when considering a driver risk management program (DRM). The first two focus on initial consideration -- how do you even know you need a system, and how do you decide which program is right? Once you've figured that out, it's time to begin comparing available programs.

How do I know I need a driver risk management program?

Are the number of collisions and/or the severity of those collisions increasing or decreasing? Are your drivers being found at fault, or are you quickly settling claims? Do you have a driving safety program in place? If you do, are you enforcing the program? Carefully consider your answers to these questions to help you determine if a DRM program is right for you.

Because drivers are coached on poor driving habits, an effective DRM program will reduce both the number of collisions and the severity of those collisions. No program will completely eliminate collisions, but some may exonerate drivers who are not to blame. As well, an effective program provides the tools to help enforce the fleet's safety program with progressive discipline and recognition/rewards.

With so much technology available, how do I know what type of program I need?

There are many different types of technology available. Don't simply consider cost. Be sure to understand the problems in order to match the right solution to these particular problems. Whether it be a video-based safety system, black box recorder, GPS, cell phone blocker, or some other type of technology, carefully research the options to understand what will be most effective for your environment and the time necessary to effectively manage the program. Consider how it will fit into your safety culture and how you will use it to enforce the safety programs already in place.

What features are unique to the program?

There are as many features available as there are different types of technology. Don't simply purchase the program that has the most features. Be sure to understand the benefits of those features and which you'll actually use.

What kind of customer support do you offer?

Everyone expects top-notch customer support and every company promises it. But, is the company going to be there to help you with installation or each time you add a new site? What about when the hardware stops working or when back-end systems go down? Do they have the necessary back-up and support to ensure you have 24/7 access to the information you need? The best way to know is by talking with their current customers. Be sure there's a large enough customer base using the program and it's installed on similar vehicles to yours to ensure you are comparing apples to apples.

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How does the program reduce risk throughout my fleet?

A DRM program reduces risk by changing your drivers' behavior. As with any task, over time, drivers can easily settle into bad habits that put themselves and the people around them at risk. And, most times, drivers don't even realize what they're doing while driving. Be sure the program provides you with information you can use when talking directly with your driver about what occurred and how to correct the behavior. The program should be another safety tool to reinforce your safety program and allow you to discipline drivers who are not improving while recognizing and rewarding those who are.

Will the program save me money? Help my organization's reputation?

With zero-growth budgets, no capital expenditures, and even reduced staff, it's important that you get a program that will save you money. A DRM may reduce property and auto liability and Workers' Compensation claims. But, as above, don't simply rely on a company's claims. Talk to current clients and be sure the savings are occurring in fleets similar to yours.

As a public fleet, your drivers and your fleet are targets for the media. By reducing the number of collisions or near collisions, you'll remain out of the media and can use it to your advantage when there's positive news to report.

Do you offer a pilot?

The answer should be, "yes." Purchasing a DRM is not an inconsequential expense. This provides an excellent opportunity to "prove out" the concept of adopting and deploying a DRM program and to ensure that it's right for you. Be sure you have the opportunity to try it in your fleet, with your drivers in their vehicles over a specific time period. Be sure you use enough vehicles (and drivers) over a significant period of time to ensure the data is statistically valid. Be sure you have the staff available to run the program, train them effectively and allow them time to run it effectively and efficiently. And be sure you have regular reviews throughout your pilot to ensure you're on track.

Is the system difficult/timely to administer?

Every program takes time to administer effectively. Plan on spending additional time through the initial roll-out to communicate the program throughout your organization. As drivers improve, the number of incidents will decline - reducing the amount of time necessary to administer the program. Be sure the vendor provides adequate training (onsite, webinar and/or e-learning) and is available to answer questions as they arise. As program manager, it's important you understand the program so you can measure its effectiveness throughout your organization.

How long have you been in business and who are your customers?

It's important that your vendor has been in business long enough to fully understand fleets and fleet safety applicable to your organization, and will be in business long enough to fulfill your agreement and see results. This will help ensure they have enough statistically valid data to understand trends and help you improve fleet performance. This will also ensure they've had experience working with most types of fleets and can quickly resolve problems or questions as they arise. Look at their current client base to see if they have experience working with your kind of organization - both in terms of type of business and size of fleet.

How do I measure success of the system?

It all comes down to numbers - is the number of collisions and near collisions decreasing? Are you receiving fewer complaints about drivers? Is your fuel consumption decreasing? Is excessive speeding decreasing? Are your drivers driving safer, idling less, and reducing your number of claims? Improvement in any one of these areas is important and has a significant cost reduction impact to your bottom line budgets. With a driver risk management program, you'll quickly begin to see improvement in all of them.

Rush Akin is the enterprise sales director for state and local government fleets at DriveCam. Prior to joining DriveCam, he was the national accounts sales manager at Fuel Master, product manager of residential and commercial operators for Wayne-Dalton Corp., and engineering program manager with Syn-Tech Systems. He earned his A.S. and B.S. in Electrical Engineering Technology from Purdue University.