How Driver Coaching Can Lead to a Dramatic Decrease in Road Incidents
In the quest for safer roads, driver coaching emerges as a critical tool, offering a promising solution to reduce road incidents dramatically. This approach delves into the heart of road safety, focusing on the human element behind the wheel. Let's explore how targeted coaching strategies are making a significant impact on driver behavior, leading to safer roads for everyone.
How Driver Coaching Reduces Road Incidents
In the relentless pursuit of road safety, data-driven coaching stands out as a beacon of progress. Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of In-Vehicle Monitoring Systems (IVMS) equipped with driver-facing cameras, which, when coupled with supervisory coaching, can lead to a substantial reduction in incidents and associated costs.
Consider the findings of a publication in the National Library of Medicine, which references an article on How Perdue Farms, Inc. implemented a video-based driver risk management program. In their study they observed a staggering 60% reduction in incidents and an 86% decrease in the costs of vehicle crashes post-implementation of IVMS and driver coaching. The publication makes reference to another study by, Hickman and Hanowski (2011) where they evaluate the use of a video monitoring approach to reduce at-risk driving behaviors in commercial vehicle operations. This study also found coaching had a significant impact on reducing risky driving behaviors.
Hickman and Hanowski (2011) found that supervisors’ coaching of long-haul truck drivers resulted in a reduction in risky driving behaviors (examples include driving unbelted, following too closely, and improper lane change) by 37 and 52% in two carriers, respectively.
Such results emphasize the importance of not just monitoring but actively engaging with drivers through feedback and coaching. It is this hands-on approach that can transform good practices into safe habits, significantly mitigating risks on the road.
The Role of Brocade’s Driver Safety
At Brocade, our Driver Safety product is inspired by these principles. We’re committed to harnessing the power of technology to pinpoint the need for driver coaching. Our platform helps to identify at risk drivers through the driver risk score, along with creating safety events that require intervention or coaching. Both of these items make it easier for safety trainers to know who needs coaching.
Once a driver has been identified they need coaching, our Driver Safety product will facilitate the coaching process itself, ensuring carriers have an accountable and repeatable workflow in place to coach drivers. Safety trainers have an easy to follow Kanban board to see all of the coaching sessions assigned to them to complete. When speaking with a driver, the safety trainer can reference the linked activity so they know why the driver needs intervention. After speaking with the driver, the safety trainer can log any driver feedback into the product so it can be stored for historical purposes.
Lastly, our product will provide analytics on the receptiveness of driver coaching and the effectiveness of the safety trainers. We have built specific dashboards to identify the impact a coaching session has on a driver’s score, so those drivers who are not responding can be easily identified and remedial steps can be put in place.
By incorporating our solution, companies can expect not just a decrease in incidents, but a profound cultural shift towards safer driving practices.