Does your fleet business have a safety manager position? Fleet safety is critical to ensure that your business can continue operating, so it is an important role to consider. There are lots of moving parts involved in fleet safety. Managers must create policies, monitor behavior, reward good drivers, and coach those who need it. If you’re considering employing a safety manager, let’s learn more about the position.
Responsibilities of a Fleet Safety Manager
Like any manager, a fleet safety manager has many responsibilities that change daily, but there are four main focus areas for the job.
- Developing a Safety Policy: A fleet safety manager outlines rules and expectations about safety in your business. These policies are necessary for drivers to know what is expected of them and to keep safe behavior enforcement from becoming muddled. You can learn more about developing a safety policy in our article: What is a Fleet Safety Policy?
- Performing Safety Audits: Safety audits include practices like risk assessments where managers identify potential hazards. They also include regular checks to ensure all employees follow the safety policy they’ve created. This process involves checking vehicles to ensure they are well-maintained and reviewing incident reports.
- Conducting Safety Training: Training is the only way to instill consistent, positive driving habits in fleet drivers. Safety Managers must ensure that training is effective and relevant to the business’s needs. A tool like Azuga Coach helps make this easier.
- Investigating Accidents and Incidents: Whenever a safety incident or an accident occurs, a safety manager must step in and analyze the situation. They have to find the root of the problem and how the business can avoid future problems.
What Fleet Safety Managers Need to Know
Trucking safety managers must be able to utilize the right technology and implement the best procedures to ensure their fleet operates safely. Here are five things that fleet safety managers must note.
- Telematics: Your fleet safety manager must be familiar with telematics and know how to use the data to boost your fleet’s safety. Telematics can track behavior like hard cornering, harsh braking, and speeding. Fleet safety managers can generate reports to track these behaviors and correct them with training.
- Maintenance: Ensuring proper maintenance of vehicles is an integral part of keeping your drivers safe on the road. Fleet safety managers should create a maintenance checklist and regularly review it. They should also use maintenance alerts to ensure they consistently perform necessary maintenance.
- Distracted Driving: Distracted driving is a significant problem for fleet managers and must be addressed at the root. Fleet safety managers can track distracted driving with technology solutions like dashcams that use AI to detect signs of distracted driving.
- Screen Drivers: Fleet safety managers must ensure their drivers have the best record. This means not only screening new hires but periodically screening existing drivers as well.
Azuga Supports Fleet Safety Managers
Technology makes fleet safety managers’ jobs easier. Our comprehensive fleet management software tracks driver behavior and lays out all the information you need clearly and concisely. To learn more about what our software can do, schedule a demo with one of our experts!
