The increasing prevalence of nuclear verdicts – and the resulting insurance hikes – have prompted carriers to reevaluate their safety strategies. Carriers with best-in-class safety programs enjoy the most competitive insurance rates while simultaneously protecting driver wellbeing and making positive changes in the industry as a whole. 

Best-in-class safety program benefits include, but are not limited to: 

• Improved company safety metrics, leading to lower risk costs and increased profitability
• Reduced chance of excessive verdicts from post-crash litigation
• Improved driver retention
• Increased business from customers who value safe carriers

It is clear why many carriers aspire to have a best-in-class safety program, but how exactly do they achieve that goal?

Carriers with standout safety programs get there through a series of both large and small positive actions over time. There is no “silver bullet” for safety. There are, however, coaching and training programs that accelerate positive safety culture changes within any carrier’s improvement plan.

Steps toward creating a best-in-class safety program

Leadership must hold safety as an organizational value. 

To create a culture of safety throughout an organization, leadership must be completely on board. This includes holding safety as an organizational value all the time, not just when it is convenient. While priorities change over time, values should be steadfast.

In fact, the J. J. Keller Center for Market Insights June 2024 update of the “Insights on Priorities for Today’s Fleet Managers” survey found that the most important aspect of overall safety is leadership that consistently shows that safety is important (51%).

In the same survey, fleet managers said employees knowing that they are valued and that leaders want them to stay safe was a close second most important aspect of overall safety (46%). 

By valuing safety, leaders communicate that they value each driver’s health and well-being, leading to stronger buy-in throughout the organization. This can also lead to happier drivers who are less likely to leave the fleet.

Follow safety policies that exceed regulations.

To avoid violations and crashes, carriers should update – and enforce – their safety policies. The best safety programs follow policies that exceed regulatory requirements.

“To be defensible, it is imperative to exceed regulations and adhere to company policies,” according to Mark Schedler, J. J. Keller’s senior transport editor.

The first step in exceeding safety requirements is understanding the requirements in the first place. In J. J. Keller surveys, fleet managers have consistently reported that understanding how Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations apply to them – and having compliant records – is a top concern.

Carriers should invest in ongoing education regarding changing regulations and support the development of stringent internal safety policies.

Start a corrective action training program.

One of the most effective things carriers can do to accelerate positive changes in safety culture is create a dash cam-enabled coaching, recognition and corrective action training (CAT) program.

“FMCSA and juries expect carriers to have corrective action processes to eliminate unsafe or non-compliant behavior to avoid crashes and citations,” according to Schedler.
Carriers should install road- and cab-facing cameras with auxiliary cameras to give a 360-degree view at all times. They should also consider using a video review service (VRS) driven by AI to gain insight into risky driving incidents and to augment staffing.

Using dash cams in a safety program is advantageous because dash cams capture information that closes data gaps left by telematics systems. For example, dash cams easily provide information about following too close, failing to yield and exceeding speed limits.

In a 2023 J. J. Keller research survey, the company found that using dash cams improved driver awareness of unsafe driving habits in 81% of cases, while decreasing the number of insurance claims and lowering legal fees for 60% and 43% of users, respectively.

It is clear why this powerful tool provides an ideal foundation for an effective CAT program.

“Inconsistent or nonexistent corrective action or claims of being unaware of the unsafe behavior could be deemed negligent supervision and would likely add zeros to a verdict,” Schedler said.

Promoting driver acceptance of the safety program

Driver acceptance of safety program changes is critical, especially when drivers are being more closely monitored with dash cams.

Driver acceptance can be increased in several ways: 

• Consistent messaging about using dash cams to protect drivers and the company, as well as improve and retain drivers
• Developing scorecards and enhancing bonus and recognition programs.
• Supporting the dash cam program with remedial training in-truck, online CAT modules specific to the behavior or one-on-one coaching/classroom training within three to five days of detection
• Training coaches to continuously improve their approach to and efficacy in changing driver behavior
• Putting privacy assurances in your dashcam policy and procedures

Drivers are more likely to accept dash cams if they see them as tools to help improve their driving skills, resulting in positive recognition and bonuses. This reward-focus mindset helps eliminate any negative or punitive ideas drivers may have about the devices.

“Dash cam video allows a driver to see their error (if any), take accountability and improve. Coaches have more productive conversations versus talking around the plausible deniability of events like hard-braking that come through only as telematic data,” Schedler added. “Video clips also help foster empathy by showing drivers’ challenges. Recognizing, coaching and training can help build self-confidence and safer, more productive drivers.”

Another common concern drivers express about dash cams is reduced privacy. J. J. Keller has outlined multiple ways carriers can address any privacy concerns. These steps include highlighting the potential for cameras to exonerate drivers after crashes and taking tangible steps within their own organizations to add in protections.

Creating a best-in-class safety program is a multistep process that requires commitment and buy-in from executives, fleet managers and drivers alike. J. J. Keller offers a suite of safety and compliance tools that can help accelerate the process.

Click here to learn more about J. J. Keller dash cams.