Road risks: How small-business owners help keep their fleet drivers safe

(BPT) – You depend on a few drivers to keep your small business thriving. You trust your drivers, but you’re realistic. You know the road poses risks, especially in the form of distracted drivers. You worry that one accident could impact your business, not to mention potentially injuring an employee.You can train, establish guidelines, and incentivize employees to drive safely, but you can’t do anything to influence the actions of other drivers on the road. The majority of American adults own a smartphone, which is a common driving distraction, even when laws regulate their usage while driving. This means that even if your drivers aren’t distracted, there are likely other drivers on the road who are.More than three-fourths of small-business decision-makers consider smartphone use on the road by other drivers to be a threat to their drivers, according to a recent survey by Netradyne, maker of artificial intelligence (AI) fleet safety camera systems. Additionally, over 3 in 5 attest that losing just one vehicle in their fleet would be financially devastating for their business.Of course, mobile phone use is just one potential cause of reckless driving. Speeding, aggressiveness, and driving under the influence are other examples. There are other inherent driving risks to consider also, such as inclement weather, and just because Mother Nature is having a bad day doesn’t mean your business can take time off.Commercial drivers themselves may engage in risky driving behaviors as well, sometimes without even realizing it. Many small-business owners are looking for technology to help their drivers on the road, including coaching them to use better practices. In fact, 91% of decision-makers think their fleet would benefit from an AI safety solution that can assess speed, traffic sign compliance, and distracted driving while alerting drivers of risky driving behavior with real-time positive driving notifications.Accident prevention is ideal, and technology protects your drivers and your business. However, technology offers real-time video proof of what happened if an accident occurs.Even if you only have one driver, it’s worthwhile to consider investing in a technology safety solution to protect your employees, your vehicles, and your business’s bottom line. Here are the top reasons for implementing AI safety solutions:Connection: Cameras and apps let you see what’s going on every second of every mile, while technology analyzes risk 100% of the driving time.Lower risks: Decrease the frequency and severity of accidents with in-cab alerts that help the driver stay aware of everything happening on the road.Video evidence: If an incident occurs, you can access and review critical video footage to protect and exonerate your drivers.Driver coaching: Use videos and digital tools to positively train and coach drivers to keep them safe while continuously improving driving behavior.Positive culture: Use safe driver feedback from the technology to reward positive driving behavior from employees so that you can focus on positive reinforcement rather than punitive actions.Theft prevention: Capture video when motion is detected to identify thieves and hit-and-runs.Research shows AI safety solutions for fleets help reduce moving violations by up to 90%, cut costly fines, decrease fuel usage by up to 30% and avoid unfair verdicts or settlements, which average $367,757.To learn more about the most advanced AI safety technology solutions for drivers and what works best for businesses of all shapes and sizes, visit netradyne.com/fleetsafety.