{"id":7827,"date":"2020-10-05T16:33:48","date_gmt":"2020-10-05T14:33:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/?p=7827"},"modified":"2020-10-05T16:33:48","modified_gmt":"2020-10-05T14:33:48","slug":"work-truck-accident","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/2020\/10\/05\/work-truck-accident\/","title":{"rendered":"Work Truck Accident Management in 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

Photo: Gettyimages.com\/felixmizioznikov<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Chargeable incidents are due to a variety of reasons including inattentive drivers, misjudging distances or vehicle size (easily correctable with training), excessive speed, etc.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly impacted numerous aspects of the entire industry, and accident rates are no exception.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFortunately, in this case, the news is positive with accident rates declining noticeably as compared to previous years. As you can imagine, this decline can be largely attributed to a significant reduction in the number of miles driven and the number of vehicles on the road. This reduction is a result of various travel restrictions and a greater number of individuals working remotely,\u201d said Rich Radi, director, product management for ARI.<\/span><\/p>\n

Connie Brinkmann, assistant vice president of Risk Management for Enterprise Fleet Management, also noted the overall volume of claims is down so far for 2020.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis decline is due to fewer vehicles being on the road and the COVID-19 pandemic being a contributing factor,\u201d Brinkmann noted.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is interesting, however, is that there is still a need for essential businesses to be operating to meet demand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMore medium-duty vehicles are on the road compared to light-duty or private passenger vehicles. As a result, this has caused an increase in medium-duty vehicles being ordered to keep up with demand,\u201d Brinkmann added.<\/span><\/p>\n

And how are these trucks doing accident wise? \u201cBased on CEI year-to-date data, our clients saw a 47% decrease in the number of medium-duty truck claims in 2020,\u201d said Joe Kinniry, manager of reporting and analytics for The CEI Group. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While there has been a decline, there still have been accidents occurring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost accidents I have found are happening in the customer\u2019s lot where drivers are hitting other trucks in their delivery lots whether it is when backing up or pulling out,\u201d said Stuart Braun, adjuster and maintenance manager for Fleet Response.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the decrease may not be seen in all industries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a slight increase in claims reported to us,\u201d according to Robert Martines, CEO of CCM Services. \u201cI believe the increase was due to increased pressure on drivers to be more productive each day, especially in the service and package delivery industries.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Efforts in Preventing Accidents<\/span><\/h2>\n

One big aspect of accident management centers around preventability. Was the accident preventable by the driver? While we can\u2019t control the general public, fleet drivers that can respond quickly to changing conditions can save a company from nuclear lawsuit verdicts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSimilar to overall accident rates, there was a noticeable decline in the number of preventable incidents. Again, this is due in large part to a significant decline in miles driven and the overall number of vehicles on the road during the COVID-19 pandemic,\u201d said Radi of ARI.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kinniry of The CEI Group also noted a decrease in the percentage of claims deemed preventable, specifically for medium-duty trucks in 2020.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis trend, although influenced by the pandemic that caused emptier roads, included many fleets considered essential services whose professional drivers have a high skill level and are cognizant of the need for safety. We also saw more customers increase safety program communications and training to keep their drivers focused,\u201d Kinniry added. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Chargeable incidents are due to a variety of reasons including inattentive drivers, misjudging distances or vehicle size (easily correctable with training), excessive speed, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe speeding incidents, in many cases, were in a specific industry, package delivery, where the time element for on time deliveries continues to be a big factor,\u201d said Martines of CCM Services.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Reducing<\/span>
\n

Reducing the overall number of accidents is the goal of any safety program. To accomplish this goal, companies are relying more on GPS technology more than ever. <\/span>Photo: Gettyimages.com\/KathyDewar<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Influence of Technology<\/span><\/h2>\n

Advancements in technology occur daily. While no major breakthroughs have occurred in the past year, growth in more robust telematics solutions and the growing use of cameras are just two pieces of technology working to keep truck fleets safer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGenerally speaking, a comprehensive telematics program combined with a multi-faceted driver training strategy is still the best option to help improve driver safety and, in turn, reduce accidents and we continue to see a growing number of fleet operators embrace telematics technology,\u201d said Radi of ARI.<\/span><\/p>\n

Specifically, OEM-embedded telematics devices are now available in a larger number of vehicles, making it even easier for fleet operators to get started with a telematics solution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith this powerful technology now factory-installed in many popular fleet models, two of the biggest roadblocks companies typically face when exploring a telematics strategy have been eliminated: installation costs and logistics along with the associated vehicle downtime,\u201d Radi added.<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, medium-duty trucks are starting to become bigger recipients of this technology.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTelematics solutions are also being more readily adopted today for medium-duty vehicles, resulting in improved routing, service warnings, and driver and vehicle behavior,\u201d said Brinkmann of Enterprise Fleet Management.<\/span><\/p>\n

Telematics technology essentially puts you inside the vehicle with your drivers, allowing you to monitor performance and quickly identify high-risk behaviors such as harsh braking, rapid acceleration, and speeding.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen this telematics data is integrated into an advanced analytics platform, you can easily benchmark driving performance across your entire organization to pinpoint high-risk drivers and highlight opportunities to prescribe corrective training. By proactively identifying and training these high-risk drivers, you\u2019re able to improve safety, prevent potential collisions, and better control accident costs,\u201d Radi said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Technology continues to monitor driver behavior and even affect change in real-time.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of our focus on helping managers control costs and reduce risk, CEI is focused on collecting and analyzing the influx of disparate vehicle and driver data, including telematics, video, whatever. Data must be framed by the customer\u2019s fleet operation and driver policy to be meaningful. Advances in data visualization and predictive analytics are driving fleet managers\u2019 ability to make informed decisions,\u201d said Kinniry of The CEI Group. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, camera systems are one of the biggest advancements utilized by medium-duty fleets.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMore vehicles are equipped with cameras, and companies are noticing the benefits, which include increased safety and accident prevention. Forward and rear cameras, in particular, allow medium-duty vehicle drivers to have a better understanding of following distance and available space. Auxiliary cameras have also become important in allowing for safer hook up of trailering equipment,\u201d Brinkmann noted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other advancements are becoming standard features on medium-duty vehicles as manufacturers work to understand consumer demand for running safer and more efficient fleets.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFeatures one might not think of that are having an impact on safety are advancements like improved hood designs, larger windshields, and better lighting in and around vehicles. These advancements have a positive impact by providing greater visibility for drivers, which can be helpful if they are driving through an unfamiliar area or navigating through tight spaces in largely populated cities,\u201d Brinkmann said.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the return on investment dictates, technological advances will continue to help offset the increased costs for labor and parts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRecessionary times will slow the rate, but increased costs for repairs are unavoidable. This fact is an important reason CEI continues to invest in driver safety programs. Control over repair costs, combined with a comprehensive safety program involving driver risk assessment, driver communications, and remediation, can significantly reduce collision costs,\u201d Kinniry said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Efforts in Truck Accident Reduction<\/span><\/h2>\n

Reducing the overall number of accidents is the goal of any safety program. To accomplish this goal, companies are relying more on GPS technology more than ever.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCompanies are relying on GPS technology to the point they are constantly tracking the speed, the handling, and the whereabouts so a vehicle in an effort to make sure each driver is in compliant with safety policy and the company\u2019s \u2018rules of the road,\u2019 \u201d said Martines of CCM Services.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The continuous monitoring of employee driving records has become adopted by more fleets over the past few years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe continuous monitoring allows fleet managers to know almost immediately when a driver has a violation on their record. Additionally, many fleets are turning to fleet management companies that have experience in driver and vehicle compliance.\u00a0When working with an FMC, it is important that they have an in-house representative and strong vendor partnerships to assist with compliance efforts,\u201d said Brinkmann of Enterprise Fleet Management.<\/span><\/p>\n

Make sure any safety program you adopt is meeting your specific fleet and driver needs. Train drivers often to help reduce incident rates.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo help maximize driver engagement, training should be personalized to the driver\u2019s needs rather than generic training such as a defensive driving course. For new hires, this means first assessing their skills and then providing targeted training to improve skills needing development. For tenured employees, this means monitoring their driving performance and providing immediate, personalized training to address high-risk behaviors. For example, if a driver incurs a speeding offense, a speed management training module should be immediately assigned to the driver,\u201d recommended Radi of ARI.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once your safety program is well-established, Radi suggested also to incorporate a scorecard to encourage friendly competition among drivers and reward your safest employees.<\/span><\/p>\n

Remember, every time a driver gets behind the wheel, your organization is vulnerable to repercussions that go far beyond just repairing a vehicle if you\u2019re not addressing safety and driver behavior.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you implement a comprehensive driver safety program that proactively identifies and trains your high-risk drivers, you have the potential to reduce your crash rates by 40-60% or more,\u201d Radi explained.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond telematics, but still incredibly safety-related are the use of LED headlights on medium-duty trucks, noted Braun of Fleet Response.<\/span><\/p>\n

Also, due to the current state of the economy as a result of the pandemic, companies now have a larger pool of drivers to choose from; therefore, they can hire less risky drivers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have witnessed an increased interest in driver safety training as many company employees seem to have more time to manage drivers than they did in the past,\u201d said Martines of CCM Services.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile telematics provides optics into driver behavior, the value of this insight is lost without a multi-faceted driver safety program,\u201d Radi added\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To improve performance, mitigate risk, and reduce accident costs, Radi recommended that a successful driver safety program should include the following elements:<\/span><\/p>\n