How Does Defensive Driving Training Improve My Company’s Safety?
All business owners have a responsibility to create a safe work environment.
This way, you keep the employees healthy as well as increase productivity and low company cost for injuries/accidents.
A vastly underappreciated element of workplace safety is the defensive driving training for company car drivers. In this post, we are going to talk about why having defensive driving training for safer workplace and how it can help reduction risk in driving company vehicles.
Understanding the Risks of Driving
Beware, the use of an automobile, either for personal or business purpose is inherently dangerous.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that there were an estimated 6,734,000 car accidents in the U.S during 2019 as well as 36,096 deaths and an estimated 2.7 million injuries.
Company cars are by no means an exception to these statistics. With that in mind, training your employees who are behind the wheel of company vehicles to be defensive drivers is vital in minimizing those risks and chances at accidents.
The Advantages of Defensive Driving Classes
Defensive driving courses aim to educate drivers on how to identify potential hazards, and learn the proper ways to react. This kind of training can have a big effect on the general safety of the workplace in terms of accidents, injuries and property damage. Some of the advantantages of defensive driving courses to your employees:
Improved Safety
When employees learn these advanced driving skills, they are better equipped to deal with difficult situations while driving including bad weather conditions; road-hogging drivers and surprising obstacles alike!
Defensive driving courses also allow drivers to become more perceptive of the environment so they can identify potential safety hazards long before they pose a risk. This preemptive concern for your safety while driving will significantly lower the chances of accidents and physical injuries.
Reduced Liability
If an accident happens with a company vehicle, it can cost you not only high insurance claims and legal costs, but also damage your company’s reputation.
Investing in this defensive driving course shows that you care about the safety of your employees, which can result in less cost to insure them and decreased liability. And, in the event of a lawsuit or claim, documentation of your defensive driving training history can serve as evidence of your company commitment to safety.
Enhanced Employee Morale
By investing in the safety of your staff, through defensive driving training, there are not only fewer risks on the road but a happy and productive experience. When employees feel supported and secure, they are more likely to be engaged and productive–which means better performance and lower turnover.
Greater Efficiency
Fuel efficient driving techniques, e.g., avoiding rapid acceleration and deceleration (sudden stops or starts) can be learned from a defensive driving course. Following these tips can help you save fuel, avoid unnecessary wear and tear on your vehicles and operate more efficiently.
Implementing Defensive Driving Training in Your Workplace
Incorporating defensive driving instruction into your company’s safety program can be an easy and effective way to help further promote safety in the workplace. Here’s what to do to start:
Assess Your Needs
Understand the unique needs of your workplace and workforce that travel in company cars/to work. Think about elements as the vehicles your workers use, the driving conditions they face and the particular risks related to your industry or business.
Choose the Right Training Program
Choose for a Defensive Driving Course that suits your company.
Establish a Training Schedule
Develop a regular training calendar for your company vehicle operators. This can encompass basic induction for new starters, regular re-education of experienced drivers, and focused training for staff who have had an accident – or near miss. Be sure to set up timelines for completion and track employee progress to hold them accountable for your training standards.
Monitor and Evaluate
Establish a method to track the progress of employees and measure the results for your defensive driving training program. This can be done by the use of metrics, such as accident record, insurance claims and driver ratings. Keep an eye on what the training has done for overall workplace safety and you can make changes to improve returns when necessary.
Foster a Culture of Safety
Defensive driving instruction should only be a part of an overall workplace safety plan. Promote a safety culture: Involve employees in making decisions pertaining to their own health and safety, recognize drivers for safe driving behavior and continue reminding them of the importance of various safety aspects across all functions of your business operations.
Final Thoughts
How defensive driving training helps keep your business safer and ensure your vehicle liability is lower Defensive driver training is a key component to ensuring that you provide a safe working environment with lessened exposure to vehicle risk.
By protecting and caring for your workers, you’re also saving yourself from damaging your company’s assets, image, and profits – not to mention contributing to a happier, more efficient workforce. Develop a defensive driver training program for your company to get started today and enjoy the many benefits of promoting safe driving practices.