Big Data is part of every industry, and the electronic logging devices required last year played a large part in securing its foothold in the trucking industry. But that data doesn’t just benefit data curators, large corporations, and freight brokerages. Use your own companies data and shared information to make your drivers safer by looking for these two trends:
Where are the most collisions happening?
Collisions are stressful for everyone involved. They can be dangerous, expensive, and hamper your company’s short-term growth. But if you can identify the factors that precede collisions, you can create routes or policies that reduce the danger. Compile data about where each collision occurs, including factors such as:
- a specific interstate
- different states
- transitions between rural and urban areas
- whether the road is county-, state-, or federally maintained.
Looking at these factors can help identify particularly hazardous locations, even if they’re scattered across the country instead of being in a specific location. You can also identify risky driving areas if your trucks are equipped with sensors that detect hard braking or sudden turns, which indicate the driver is avoiding a sudden obstacle.
When are the most driving problems occurring?
Avoiding collisions should be a primary safety concern, but that’s not the only problem that can occur on the road. Everything from driver fatigue to equipment failures and getting pulled over can cost your company money and hamper your drivers. Look for patterns in when the most problems are occurring. Filter the data both by the time of day: late nights, pre-dawn mornings, and early afternoon are potential windows for more problems, as is rush-hours for urban routes. But also consider the duration of the drive. Drivers who have been driving for hours are more likely to make a mistake than well-rested ones.
Using data to change your routes and driving policies is the best way to reduce your company’s liability expenses and to keep your employees and cargo safe. Maintaining safe driving records is one of the best ways to keep your insurance coverage stable and affordable. Go to J.E.B. Insurance Services, LLC. for the right coverage to keep your company safe. We provide commercial truck insurance in the states of Florida, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska.
