Keeping truck drivers, their passengers and the public safety is a primary consideration for trucking companies. One method used by many companies is to implement a safe driving incentive program. Drivers who have exemplary driving records and who meet or exceed preset criteria receive a reward.
While it may seem attractive to simply offer a monetary reward for “no accidents”, in order to create a culture of safety among your drivers you need to develop a well thought-out program.
Here are some considerations to look at when planning a driver incentive program:
Consideration 1: What Type of Incentives Will You Offer?
There are a number of incentives that are effective and will help promote a culture of safety within your company.
- Recognition among peers and others.
- Tangible rewards (such as commendation, plaques, trophies, prizes, or a combination of these rewards work well to emphasize the safety message.)
- Monetary incentives can help bolster the effectiveness of the program
- A combination of recognition, money and rewards are usually the best way to motivate drivers.
Consideration 2: Fair Criteria
Fairness can be tricky to achieve. Here are some suggestions:
- Consider using accidents per miles driven rather than the number of accidents in a designated period to make it fair for drivers of different types of routes (i.e. urban vs. rural.)
- Include number of violations. Assign points to different types of violations; exclude drivers who receive DUI/DWI violations.
- Include care and maintenance of the vehicle.
- Keep measurement criteria broad to maximize the number of drivers eligible for incentives. This will boost participation in the incentive program and increase safety among drivers.
The purpose of a driving incentive program is to create a culture of safety within the organization. If done right, it will not only increase safety but will save money too.
