Risk Management is Easy. Pinpointing It is Hard.

BY DEL LISK, LYTX VICE PRESIDENT, SAFETY SERVICES

Don’t tell the guys behind the actuarial tables, but managing risk is as much an art as it is a science. It’s also an art made easier because of science.

By using the DriveCam program to pinpoint risk, companies can improve driver retention, and other factors along the way.

First Identify Risk, Then Focus on Changing Behavior

The DriveCam program identifies drivers on the roster whose behavior can put themselves and others at risk. Companies often find that a very small percentage of drivers are responsible for a large percentage of their risky behaviors. Because we’re helping those drivers improve, they’re at a greatly reduced risk for collisions, which enhances the ability for them to retain their jobs.

With the help of coaching through the DriveCam program, drivers become more skilled and comfortable with the event recorder. The program helps drivers reach the next level of safety and professionalism.

Because coaching is constructive and collaborative, drivers are receptive to suggested changes. As a result, employers incur less driver turnover and can reduce the dollars spent on recruitment and training. Coaching sessions through the DriveCam program present an opportunity for safety managers to sharpen their drivers’ skills. But it’s also wise to have a conversation with drivers about their critical role at the company and explain why a policy exists.

Managers don’t often go into detail about the real costs of an accident, or the impacts and costs that will be incurred. Having those conversations with drivers, explaining why policies exist, suddenly drivers feel part of the team, like they have a vested interest in doing what’s right for the company. The more valued you make them feel, the more loyal they become to the company. And you’ll see their behavior change on the road.

DriveCam Program Changes Perspective as Well as Behavior

Through the DriveCam program, drivers also become aware of their own behavior, seeing on video their actions at the wheel. By showing drivers evidence of their own actions, the event recorder changes drivers’ perspectives, making them keenly aware of their own actions in ways they couldn’t be without it.

Apart from time-consuming activities such as ride-a-longs, you’re not going to be able to get that information without video.

Video helps explain why an event happened. To learn how the DriveCam program can help you better manage risk among your own fleet, click here.