1 in 3 drivers report feeling stressed behind the wheel which leaves them prone to making irrational decisions and suffering road rage
Behavioural factors that can affect an employee’s driving performance can include aggression, attitude to risk, driving excitement, ineffective coping strategy, fatigue, stress and work schedules.
If drivers and their employers are aware of the factors that may pose a risk, the chance of an incident whilst driving is dramatically reduced. For this reason, employers should be thinking about their drivers’ welfare and well-being whilst they are driving for work.
Awareness and education is key
The first step to tackling driver behavioural issues is to identify the risks. Risk profiling business drivers (both company vehicle and grey fleet drivers) will help to identify what risks are posed by drivers.
A range of driver assessment tools are available on the market. Some create a high-level risk profile of the driver focusing on various principles of safe driving such as rules of the road, hazard perception and awareness, reaction test, safe distance following and the customer’s own safe driving policy.
Other online driver risk assessments go into more depth and with a psychometric assessment analysing a number of critical behavioural factors including aggression, work related risk, driving excitement, ineffective coping strategies and susceptibility to fatigue.
Many companies have telematics systems in their vehicles producing data on driver driving styles and highlighting episodes that can also build up a risk-profile for the driver.
Telematics can record journey times, mileage and driving styles so businesses can identify issues and tailor training to reduce risks. Once trained companies can use telematics to ‘supervise’ and support the driver where necessary.
Behavioural change interventions
Once risk has been identified a programme of behavioural change can be introduced. Behavioural change interventions can address the issues identified and help to reduce risks but what form do these interventions take?
Incorporating the topic of driving for work into health and well-being days is a good way of raising awareness of the effects that certain behavioural factors and lifestyle choices can have on driving and the increased risk posed to the employee and the business.
Workshops such as factors affecting personal performance can educate drivers about the effects of drugs and alcohol on driving (even prescribed and over-the-counter drugs).
Health issues can affect driving performance too – fatigue and sleep apnoea being two common issues.
The effects of stress, regardless of the root cause, can leave drivers prone to make irrational decisions and suffer road rage.
General driver safety awareness workshops can serve as a useful refresher of the rules of the road – with drivers quite often commenting it is scary how much they had forgotten.
Workshops can be tailored to specific issues highlighted by the risk assessment and telematics data such as speed management.
For drivers identified as posing a high risk to themselves and the business or those suffering from anxiety, on-road driver coaching can prove highly effective and tailored to individual issues and needs.
With the ever-advancing pace of technology, driver education is becoming more immersive. Companies can now access on-line elearning modules, virtual reality and even driving simulators to educate their employees who drive for work.
Behavioural change benefits
Businesses can gain tangible business benefits from implementing a behavioural change programme for their drivers including:
- Better-informed drivers
- Lower incident rates
- Reduced insurance premiums
- Reduction in stressed drivers/employees
- Less wear and tear on vehicles
- Improved fuel consumption
- Company reputation
The key to all of this is having a continuous cycle of compliance – not a one-off box ticking exercise. For more information, call 03330 113 113 or email contactus@ttc-uk.com.
