.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
October is National Transport Month and the aim is to once again highlight the unacceptably high rate of road accidents in South Africa and what can be done to reduce these.
When most people think of vehicle accidents, they automatically assume they were caused by speeding. While speeding is a major cause of road accidents, it is by no means the only one. There are so many more factors that come into play and if more people are made aware of these, it would go a long way in reducing the carnage on our roads.
All fleet managers know the risks when it comes to being responsible for any number of vehicles: speeding, driving at night, poor road conditions, poor weather conditions, tired drivers, driver intoxication, and the list goes on. All of these play a role in South Africa’s high road accident numbers and fleet managers have to minimise these risks as much as possible in order to run a sustainable and efficient fleet.
While fleet managers can’t predict the behaviour of other road users, they can put systems in place to ensure their own fleets, and therefore drivers, are staying as safe and responsible on the roads as possible.
Avis Fleet solutions to increase driver safety
Driver Monitoring
Avis’ Driver 360 monitors driver performance such as route, harsh braking or accelerating, speeding, and idling. Not only does this highlight which drivers are exemplary, but it also raises red flags should any of your drivers engage in dangerous driving. Fleet managers can only address problems if they’re aware of them, and a system such as Driver 360 ensures all relevant driver data is collected and put into a user-friendly report.
Real-Time Fleet Tracking
With the right telematics system in place, fleet managers are able to see exactly where each vehicle is in real time. This is extremely handy to enable fleet flexibility, rerouting, managing client expectations, and also ensuring driver and vehicle safety. Should something go wrong, you will be able to pinpoint exactly where your vehicles and drivers are.
Meticulous Maintenance
Poor vehicle maintenance is a leading cause of road accidents in South Africa. Fleet managers must ensure that vehicles are properly maintained to minimise the risk of tyre or engine failures. This includes ensuring everything, from vehicle lights to windscreen wipers, is always in good working order.
As a fleet manager the last thing you or your business needs is an accident caused as a result of poor vehicle maintenance. Not only can this have tragic results, but it will have a negative effect on your business reputation. It’s not worth the risk.
Roadside Assistance
To keep your drivers and vehicles as safe as possible, every fleet needs proper roadside assistance. With South Africa’s high risk of vehicle damage due to poor road maintenance and hijackings, roadside assistance is a crucial safety aspect for every fleet.
Every fleet is unique and roadside assistance can be tailored to suit your specific fleet needs.
At the end of the day, the safety of drivers and vehicles is the most important factor when running a fleet. While South Africa’s roads are a long way from being considered safe, there are many things the fleet industry can do to reduce risk and improve safety not only within their fleet, but for other road users as well.
It’s the responsibility of every fleet manager to ensure they have the right systems in place to keep their fleet as safe as possible.
Need help improving driver safety in your fleet? Contact Avis Fleet to speak to one of our fleet experts.
