In the trucking industry, the most common source of accidents is backing up a long tractor-trailer. The maneuver is difficult and takes years of practice to do well. Even veteran drivers struggle with reversing long tractor-trailers; however, this doesn’t mean fleets have to accept accidents as unavoidable.

The damage and related costs of reversing accidents are hefty and unnecessary. They can also lead to higher insurance rates and hurt a carrier’s CSA safety score. However, it’s often impractical for a trucking company to pull the entire staff together for a training exercise. One trucking company decided to overcome this hurdle with web-based training tools.

The primary benefit of online learning tools is that drivers can utilize them on their own time. For example, trying to hold on-site training would exclude any drivers out of the area making deliveries. With electronic learning tools, every driver in a fleet can participate and improve their skills when it’s convenient for their schedule.

Learning Management Systems

Reversing accidents aren’t the only source of damages and injuries for fleets. Unsafe driver behaviors such as distracted driving, speeding, and hard braking can all cause costly accidents. Many fleets struggle with improving safety because it’s almost impossible to identify who is engaging in risky behaviors without being behind the wheel with the driver. However, fleet managers can harness the power of learning management systems to collect data about their drivers and target training exercises to their greatest effect.

For example, when utilizing DriverCheck’s How’s My Driving? Program, fleets receive reports from other motorists about unsafe truck drivers. From there, the manager can modify the driver’s behavior by providing counseling and training for the specific reported issue. Instead of trying to hold company-wide safety training, fleet managers can identify the individuals that would benefit the most from a refresher course.

While this may seem a little authoritarian, 80% of drivers never receive complaints. In addition, most fleets find that 10% of their drivers are the source of complaints. This allows them to provide guidance to their riskiest drivers before they experience an accident. To learn more about improving your fleet’s safety, contact DriverCheck.