01 Sep Improving Driver Performance and Reducing Risk through Driver Risk Profiling

Driver performance behind the wheel significantly impacts how a company operates, costs, and risks in building a strong, financially viable solution. Yet, many companies do not have in place strategies to facilitate this. Driver risk profiling is an effective method for learning where your drivers stand and creating a path for reducing risk moving forward.

Performance and risk reduction are key components of fleet management. They ultimately determine how profitable and viable a company is. Yet, many companies do not have strategies to provide real, tangible information about the risks they face. That is where driver risk profiling works as a tool for improvement. It sheds light on opportunities companies can take to make substantial changes in their future.

Understanding Driver Risk Profiling

Driver risk profiling is the process of understanding how safe or unsafe a driver is based on standards your company sets. With our driver risk level assessment from Fleet Response, your company gains a way to understand which drivers are safer and which may need some help and improvement.

It is important to consider the factors that impact your drivers. Key factors considered in driver risk assessment can be customized to meet your company’s goals and objectives. Some examples of the automated assessment of points that could be leveled include:

• MVR records
• Accident data
• Telematics data
• Manual adjustments

This is done through a point system. Your company creates a customizable but consistent point system that is based on policy. Then, the system will automatically assess the points based on safety standards. There are numerous benefits to putting a program like this in place.

• It creates an automated method for the management of driver safety data.
• It provides key opportunities for where safety can be enhanced and improved.
• The safety program is automated, which means it is less subjective to human decisions and more on point with expected goals.
• It is fully customizable, which means companies can adjust what is a point and what is more of a worrisome risk than others based on their goals and needs.
• Risk management systems can pinpoint areas of concern and ensure that strategies are put into place to ensure improvement occurs.

By implementing driver risk profiling in fleet management, companies benefit from having a hands-on approach to managing their risk mitigation efforts and improving driver safety. More educated drivers are safer drivers, and that directly impacts a company’s financial health, reputation, and employer brand.

Collecting and Analyzing Driver Data

To create this type of informative tool that incorporates performance, the driver risk profiling system works to gather important data to use. It gathers relevant driver data, including:

• Violations
• Accident reports
• MVRs

This information enables points to be automatically allotted when concerns occur. The use of technology for this process improves efficiency and ensures that data is always available as soon as possible for use in decision-making. With technology like this, data collection and analysis are streamlined and efficient.

This information can then be used to determine where drivers stand. In most cases, profiling helps to identify patterns and trends in driver behavior and performance. When there are no negative points or data, that indicates the program meets the safety standards you set.

When there are areas of potential concern, it is then possible to make core decisions about mitigation strategies. By identifying driver behavior and performance, companies can make decisions that better impact company goals and objectives.

Developing Risk Scoring and Profiling Systems

Establishing a risk-scoring methodology is core to this process. It must be done based on data analysis. The company is able to customize all components of this process, including:

• Identifying risk categories that are relevant to the company
• Establishing thresholds for driver profiling

The integration of risk scoring into driver management processes provides an efficient strategy for identifying not just problems but opportunities for improvement. Companies can recommend education and training or incorporate additional driver management decisions when improvement does not occur, minimizing risks as needed.

Implementing Driver Performance Improvement Strategies

A driver’s performance has a direct impact on any company. Yet, companies continue to be at risk for concerns without a simple and effective strategy for identifying high-risk drivers. However, using risk profiling, it is possible to gain clear data that indicates where risks are concerned, allowing companies to identify high-risk drivers quickly and often before significant negative outcomes occur.

From there, companies can tailor training programs as well as other interventions to address the specific risks present. This is one of the most effective strategies to allow companies to gain control over their risk – with hard data, companies can make big decisions about drivers empowering change or moving forward without them.

The core behind this improvement is education. Promoting driver education and awareness through online training platforms can help companies retain quality drivers who may need more help and guidance, allowing for a drop in turnover figures while still working to increase driver safety standards.

Monitoring and Tracking Driver Performance

Driver behavior and performance are always changing figures. Companies must have the tools and resources to monitor it on an ongoing basis. Regular evaluation of drivers using performance indicators within this system can allow for that.

This also allows companies to track driver improvements over time, which can give them an indication of individuals who may be successfully improving or those who may be falling behind.

In addition to that, it is always possible for companies to adjust risk profiles as their needs and intervention goals change. This is done through ongoing monitoring, enabling companies to make adjustments to the profiles of their drivers on a routine basis. Improving driver performance can be clearly seen in improving data.

Collaborating with Drivers for Continuous Improvement

Risk reduction has to be something that is done in collaboration with drivers. While fleet managers can put in place many safety solutions, without effort from drivers, limitations will exist. With driver risk profiling comes the ability to engage drivers in the process of improvement.

One way to do this is to encourage drivers to provide feedback and communicate more openly about their needs and concerns. They also should be involved in safety initiatives, not just in following new solutions put in place but also in communicating about initiatives they can see as being valuable.

Ultimately, risk reduction leads to a better work environment, but this is something that deserves recognition. With a driver performance tool like this in place, it is possible to recognize and reward improved performance over time.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Driver Risk Profiling

Ultimately, companies need to know that their efforts are, in fact, beneficial. Companies have data through this profiling system to evaluate the impact that risk profiling is having on their overall fleet safety. This involves analyzing data over time to determine the reductions in the number of incidents and violations that occur.

The system provides a way for companies to consistently assess how drivers are doing, make changes as needed, and encourage better education. This ultimately leads to fewer accidents and delays, better employment figures, and improved customer satisfaction, all of which lead to financial benefits and an ROI that is improving. Risk profile implementation can comprehensively change a company’s bottom line.

Put In Place a Solution to Improve Your Company’s Risk

Take some time to get to know Fleet Response as well as our values and corporate history. What you will find is that we take pride in empowering companies and individuals.

As a company, you need to know where your risks lie. Without this knowledge, improvement is impossible. However, as a company with this type of technology available to you, it has never been more possible for you to create a safer driver program and fleet than it is right now. Look ahead to future advancements in driver performance management, too, as our tools take education and training well beyond a simple check-the-box safety program.

Contact Fleet Response now to learn how we can help you.