Taking the connected route to a safer vehicle fleet

Beverley Wise, Webfleet Regional Director for Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, charts the connected route towards a safer vehicle fleet

As stewards of public resources, public sector organisations are held to the very highest standard of accountability.

They have a clear responsibility to uphold effective and ethical governance principles, including a duty of care towards their employees and the broader community. This duty extends to ensuring that fleet vehicles are operated safely to minimise risks to drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and other road users.

Public trust risks being eroded should road safety be compromised. Moreover, there can be serious legal and financial repercussions.

The latest road safety statistics, however, are a cause for concern. According to the Department for Transport (DfT), almost 1,700 individuals lost their lives on the roads of Britain in 2022, marking a rise of nearly 9%.

For individuals driving for work purposes, the safety risks are particularly notable. Up to a third of all road incidents involve someone at work at the time.

The purse strings are being tightened on public sector budgets, but the need to manage the risks associated with their vehicle fleets has never been greater.

Digital risk management in the spotlight

Taking the pulse of current fleet safety standards to identify where problems exist, setting performance benchmarks, and establishing targets for improvements are critical first steps to tackling risk.

Telematics solutions offer a valuable tool here, delivering a range of real- time performance intelligence. Driver behaviour insights, for example, empower fleet managers to assess the adherence to fleet standards behind the wheel. They can establish performance benchmarks and set targets for improvement.

A collaborative approach, however, is called for to achieve lasting change. Consulting staff from the outset and encouraging two-way dialogue on driver behaviour initiatives and telematics technology is critical to meaningful employee engagement.

Integral to this is the importance of empowering drivers to change their driving style by providing in-vehicle coaching.

Platforms such as Webfleet, Bridgestone’s fleet management system, will offer real-time feedback through in-vehicle navigation devices, enabling them to minimise distracted driving and reduce incidents of speeding, harsh braking and aggressive cornering.

Camera, action: Enhancing operational standards

Integrated camera systems offer even more opportunities for enhancing driving and operational standards. A case in point is Webfleet Video, which employs cutting-edge connected dashcam technology, coupled with machine vision and artificial intelligence (AI) to address risky driving behaviours.

By analysing images and video data, the CAM 50 can identify risky actions, such as distracted driving, fatigue, and mobile phone use. This deepens managers’ understanding of the factors contributing to driving incidents.

Webfleet Video has introduced a fully integrated wireless multi-camera solution that captures side and rear views, augmenting fleet visibility and providing additional evidence. Cargo views enhance vehicle security and can assist in guiding employees on the loading and unloading of goods.

Moreover, this technology offers insights into the causes of driving incidents, enabling the development of more tailored training programs and more precise implementation of safe driving reward initiatives. The technology also offers the option to instantly alert drivers to risky behaviours, allowing them to make real-time adjustments.

Protecting vehicle fleets: Raising the maintenance bar

A safe vehicle fleet is also dependent upon effective maintenance procedures. Vehicle maintenance planning software tools enable fleets to use real measured mileage reported by the odometer directly from their vehicles, to plan maintenance intervals. At-a-glance reports can be generated offering maintenance overviews, which allow managers to keep tabs on service intervals.

With advanced software solutions in situ, users can even create maintenance tasks for every vehicle, copy them to vehicle groups and monitor their status.

A preventative approach is equally vital to ensuring vehicles are kept in a roadworthy condition. Webfleet, for example, can pull engine fault codes from fleet vehicles and communicate them to managers – both in the office or via a mobile app while they’re on the move – ensuring necessary maintenance is conducted immediately. This diagnostic data can even be harmonised across multiple manufacturers.

Innovative developments at Bridgestone Mobility Solutions have integrated the Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) with telematics, utilising sensors that continuously monitor tyre temperature and pressure levels.

Although fuel consumption is negatively impacted by incorrectly inflated tyres, manual pressure checks can be time-consuming and slow leaks difficult for drivers to detect. Webfleet TPMS automates this process.

The importance of tyre safety

As the only contact point between vehicles and roads, tyres are crucial for safe handling and stability. Efficient tyre management processes and reporting systems can be essential in raising the bar in tyre safety.

When it comes to tyre choice, however, there is no one-size-fits-all. Factors such as vehicle weight, size and intended use should all be considered.

Premium tyres will have a higher upfront cost, but they are engineered with superior materials and advanced technologies that improve handling, while offering greater durability and reduced rolling resistance.

The eye-opening impact of good data

The wealth of data now available to fleet operators provides greater insight than ever before into day-to-day operations.

Dynamic, real-time data allows them to take a proactive approach to tackling risk, rather than them being forced to wait for road collisions to occur.

But effective use of data relies on an over-arching culture of excellence in risk management and strong leadership at all levels to communicate core cultural safety principles.

Public sector organisations that adopt such a best practice approach will be well equipped to face the future confidently while contributing to an overall improvement in UK road safety standards.