There are many risks associated with fleet driving, but the risk associated with driving in cities isn’t often discussed. Many of the dangers linked to fleet driving are much higher in urban settings than in rural areas. Most people know that city driving increases driver risk, but they may not know the extent of the dangers or why there is an increase in risk. Doing an insurance risk assessment is one of the best ways to determine all the challenges facing a driver, especially those driving in inner cities. We will discuss why there is a greater risk for inner-city driving and how Azuga fleet management can help you prevent these risks.
More Vehicles on the Road
The most obvious danger associated with city driving is that there are simply more vehicles on the road. The more vehicles there are on the road, the more likely someone will get into an accident or have another safety event. It’s more dangerous for any driver, but it’s particularly dangerous for fleet drivers who spend more time on the road and therefore deal with more drivers. How is it possible to lessen this risk?
It’s crucial to have fleet management software to track telematics and alert managers when drivers engage in unsafe behaviors. Azuga’s fleet management solution even includes dash cams, which use AI to track driver behavior. The dash cam’s artificial intelligence can detect signs of distracted, drowsy, or aggressive driving, all of which are significant problems in a congested city. Whenever a driver exhibits unsafe behavior, first, the system alerts the driver to correct their own behavior. If the behavior continues, then the manager is alerted to take corrective action. It keeps drivers accountable for their actions and ensures that they are on their best behavior.
Road Changes
When driving on a rural road, the road often remains the same for dozens of miles, offering minimal risk to drivers on its path. However, roadways in cities are constantly changing. They widen and narrow, lanes turn into turn lanes or exit onto different routes, and the surfaces are more likely to be damaged or have debris due to the high amount of traffic. Drivers on these roads need to be confident in where they are going because any hesitation can lead to an accident.
One of the ways that fleets can combat the challenges of city roads is with GPS and route optimization. Route optimization will often avoid construction or road closures that cause difficulties on city roads. It may even avoid left turns in dangerous situations. The most instrumental aspect is that drivers are confident in their route, so they can focus on the road and not worry about where they are headed.
Frequent Lane Changes, Merges, and Exits
Drivers have to perform more traffic maneuvers on city roads than they do when cruising along a rural road. Crossing lanes of traffic to turn and merging into different lanes can cause challenges for drivers, especially those who may not be as attentive as they should be. This is another place where the dash cam comes in handy to watch for distracted driving. However, Azuga offers other tools that help with this as well.
Azuga Coach pinpoints challenges that drivers face based on data derived from telematics in their vehicles. For example, if a driver regularly hits the brakes because they struggle while changing lanes, Azuga Coach can pull that issue out from all of its data and assign that driver targeted coaching based on their problems. Targeted coaching ensures that drivers are constantly getting the refreshers that they need when they need them.
Keep Your Drivers Safer With Azuga!
Azuga offers these features and many more that keep your drivers safe, your vehicles maintained, and your fleet effective. Optimize your fleet’s operations and reputation by making the switch to Azuga today. Try a demo and see for yourself how easy it is to make your fleet safer.
