The use of motor vehicles to transport workers, move materials, and transport products is essential for business. Motor vehicle use also has significant costs associated with crashes, crash-related injuries, and injuries related to the non-driving use of motor vehicles. Every business needs to have formal plans to reduce the potential for crashes and the financial risk associated with using motor vehicles. Companies using large and medium trucks typically have formal fleet safety programs; however, fleets with medium to smaller vehicles have often paid more attention to compliance-type programs, which have a much lower potential to cause death or serious injury.
Liberty Mutual Insurance has conducted benchmark and best practice studies to identify program practices at companies with lower than median crash and/or injury rates. The design, complexity, and structure of these programs will vary, but common themes or features can be identified. These common features are:
Select drivers based on their history and ability to perform the job
Establish and communicate expectations on how jobs should be performed
Monitor performance against the expectations
Provide feedback on performance
Change behavior that does not meet expectations
Document their policies and actions
