How to Improve Fleet Safety With Technology

The single biggest factor contributing to our accident rate declining from 33% to 14% while our fleet grew from 200 to 300 trucks? We installed cameras in every truck. We implemented this change a couple years ago. As you'd expect, our drivers weren't thrilled. We tried to implement the change in a way that respected privacy while adding accountability measures that could improve the problematic accident data I posted about previously (link to that post below). For trucks assigned to a team member who drives the vehicle to and from work, we installed only road-facing cameras. Our shared trucks have dual-facing cameras that look at both the road and the cab. The cameras have sensors that can:  - detect speeding; - recognize if a driver is distracted; and - message a manager if an employee is not driving safely. Resistance to having a camera on board your truck is understandable, but I'm happy to say that our drivers have adapted well. And the numbers don't lie—The cameras have worked, leading to fewer accidents, fewer injuries, and less money lost to damages. This post is the third in a series about how we have addressed a fleet safety problem at Hoffmann Brothers. Next week I'll share the other two changes that have contributed to our progress. Have you experienced driving a vehicle with a camera?

An eye-opening view from inside the cab. Will your winter safety program keep your drivers safe? How can you improve it even further? 🚚... 𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: ➤ Use data-driven insights to strengthen your winter safety standard & culture that protects your people, the motoring public, property, and your business. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀: 𝟭. 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Pinpointing the most frequent types of incidents can help you focus your prevention efforts. 𝟮. 𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀: Knowing which departments, equipment, locations, etc, are most vulnerable can help you allocate resources effectively. 𝟯. 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: Analyzing the root causes of accidents can help you identify systemic issues and develop solutions. 𝟰. 𝗘𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀: Assessing the effectiveness of existing safety measures and training programs can help you identify gaps and improve their impact. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿: 🔹 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Develop customized training programs that address specific winter safety risks, such as icy road conditions, snowstorms, and low visibility. Focus on defensive driving techniques, winter equipment usage, and emergency procedures. 🔹 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆: Leverage telematics systems to monitor vehicle performance, driver behavior, and location in real-time. Consider installing forward/rear-facing cameras to improve visibility and capture evidence of incidents. 🔹 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀: Establish comprehensive winter driving policies and protocols that outline speed limits, tire requirements, route planning, and emergency procedures. Ensure that all drivers are familiar with these policies and understand the consequences of non-compliance. 🔹𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: Regularly inspect and maintain vehicles to ensure they are equipped to handle winter conditions. This includes checking tires, brakes, lights, heating systems, fluid levels, airlines, and more. 🔹 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆-𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Create a workplace culture that prioritizes safety. Encourage employees to report any concerns or hazards, and reward safe driving practices. 🎯 ❗ 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀. Hiding within your data lies the blueprint for creating a safer, more efficient operation. By analyzing past performance in every department and category, you can identify areas of improvement and develop targeted strategies to mitigate the risks. Your comments are welcome below. #truckingindustry #safety #supplychainsolutions #foodandbeverage #logistics #riskmanagement #training #oilandgas #recruitment #humanresources

🚛People we share the road with🤦👀 Intersections account for 40% of all crashes, with the majority occurring at stop-sign-controlled intersections caused by confusion, misinterpretation, and assumptions about right-of-way. In the video we’re looking at today, a hot shot hauling cars collides with an SUV entering from the left. At first glance, it looks like the SUV might be at fault pulling out when they shouldn’t have. But there’s a stop bar at every approach to the intersection but no visible stop signs in the short clip. That suggests a possible four-way stop, meaning both drivers were expected to stop and check before proceeding. If that’s the case, did the SUV assume the truck was stopping? Did the truck driver misjudge the timing or visibility? Without clear footage and data, all we have is speculation. In times like this image video quality, clarity, and reliable data matter. Dashcams cut through the "he said, she said" and provide fleets, insurers, and law enforcement with the tools to assess an incident, fault, avoidability or preventability, etc. Advanced telematics systems and dash cams like Motive also provide vehicle data, speed, etc., giving us a clear picture of what really happened. ultimately avoiding the he said she said, assumptive speculation. Fleets with objective, structured accident review committees and intelligence systems make better post-crash decisions, protecting their drivers and businesses. Instead of assumptions, they rely on: ✔️ Clear dashcam footage with high-resolution accuracy ✔️ Speed and braking data At the end of the day, data is the difference between a fair, objective assessment and a subjective, he said she said assumption. If you’re a fleet or driver, ensuring you have the right technology in place can mean the difference between liability and exoneration because visibility matters. #riskmitigation #Fleetmanagement #exposuremanagement #visibilitymatters

Technology should help keep us alive — especially on our highways. The Wall Street Journal recently published an article (I’m not linking it here since it’s behind a paywall) that highlights how artificial intelligence can help prevent tragedies on our roads. In 2021, a tanker-truck driver in Phoenix fell asleep at the wheel, plowing into stopped cars at over 60 mph, killing four people and injuring eleven. That same year, a Greyhound driver crashed outside an Illinois truck stop after driving through the night, killing three passengers. These are not isolated events. In fact, the National Academy of Sciences estimates up to 1 in 5 fatal large truck or bus crashes are fatigue-related. Sadly, we see the results of this kind of danger firsthand in our law practice, where we help families whose lives have been shattered by truck crashes. Survivors and their loved ones often face unimaginable loss and a long, uphill battle for justice and accountability. We fight for them in court, and we also advocate for safer roads — because no one should have to experience that kind of trauma. Artificial intelligence has a role to play in saving lives. Tools like Samsara’s driver-facing cameras can monitor eyelid closure, head position, and other warning signs of drowsiness, sounding real-time alerts before disaster strikes. Lytx has gone even further by combining billions of miles of roadway data with in-cab observations to provide a real-time fatigue risk score. These systems can help prevent horrific crashes before they ever happen. We should welcome safety-focused technology. Safety must come first, before any other concerns. Every family sharing our highways deserves that level of protection. Let’s support innovation that keeps drivers awake and aware, and help stop tragedies before they happen. If you have ideas on how we can continue to make our highways safer, I’d love to hear them. #RoadSafety #TruckSafety #ArtificialIntelligence #HighwaySafety #TrialLawyer #PublicSafety #Advocacy