Due to the nature of their operations, many companies need to have part of their sales or technical support teams in the field. This scenario adds some extra burden to fleet managers, more specifically related to workers safety and health.

The companies must be aware so as not to turn each route into a traffic accident due to the poor conditions of the roads and the inability of some drivers. One of the main risks is drowsiness while driving, which accounts for about half of the accidents on Brazilian roads.

It is not always possible to guarantee that the workers, as vehicle drivers, will have responsible attitudes or that they will stop the vehicle every time they feel tired. Thus, as the managers become aware of this situation, they must take some previous actions in order to reduce the risks for those professionals who need vehicles to carry out their jobs.

According to seasoned managers from corporations with light vehicle fleets, it is important to define the driving rules, including maximum uninterrupted driving time, speed limits, permitted driving hours, and permission to give ride or not, among others. These rules must be clearly defined in the fleet usage policy and widely communicated to all the workers who use the company’s vehicles.

In addition to fleet policies, education and best practices, several companies employ technology to mitigate the risks associated with drowsiness. Telemetry and video monitoring systems help managers to analyze the risk patterns and take actions in real time, preventing accidents.

Telemetry allows the managers to identify how the vehicles are being driven, alerting the driver (and the control center) about over speeding, RPM, hard braking and starting, vehicle driving hours, stop times, etc. Managers from renowned organizations state that, when deployed in the fleet management process, this tool enables a standardization in the way the vehicles are driven, detecting possible bad habits. It also enables the development of a system to assess and reward drivers based on facts and figures. As Peter Drucker said: “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it”. And telemetry enables the fleet management.

However, increasingly the use of embedded intelligence systems and video monitoring has proven to be effective in reducing accidents caused by drowsiness. Combining devices acting both in driver support (ADAS), as well as front and side cameras (FCW) and video recording (MDVR), facial recognition cameras to detect signs of drowsiness (yawning) or distractions (using a cell phone, distracted look), DSM cameras are increasingly accessible and essential in the future of fleet management

These technologies, in line with optimized management and the support of structures such as 24/7 monitoring centers specialized in dealing with alerts and non-conformities, are building the new reality for fleet management. And the companies that have already adopted this new model are getting unprecedented results.

For further information, we recommend reading the e-book titled “Good practices in the management of light fleets”. And if you want to learn more about the good results that video monitoring can bring to your company, contact GoAwake.

This text was written in partnership with Creare Sistemas. Please visit www.crearesistemas.com.br to explore additional advanced telemetry solutions for fleets.