How Driver Behaviours Impact Your Bottom Line
Improving driver performance can reduce fuel costs. How your drivers perform will significantly impact various aspects, including their safety, the safety of other road users, your vehicle maintenance costs, and your insurance premiums.
Driver Safety and Beyond
While driver safety is of utmost importance, it is not the only reason why you must ensure that your drivers are trained to the highest levels of driving competence. In the year 2022 and beyond, another crucial factor has gained prominence: the cost of fuel. Over the past 20 months, fuel prices in Europe have surged by approximately 40%, reaching unprecedented levels.
By improving the driving performance of your drivers and encouraging them to adopt energy-efficient driving practices, you can reduce your company’s fuel consumption by at least 25%. This not only contributes to cost savings but also helps in cutting down CO2 emissions.
Driving in an Energy-Efficient Manner
To achieve energy-efficient driving, it is essential to train your drivers in the following areas:
- Drive at Optimum Speed: Encourage drivers to understand their vehicles and, where appropriate, utilize cruise control to maintain the optimal speed.
- Use Brakes Cautiously: Teach drivers to anticipate events ahead and brake gently and gradually, thus prolonging brake life and reducing fuel consumption.
- Minimize Idling Times: Instruct drivers to turn off their engines if they expect to be stationary for over a minute, as excessive idling contributes to unnecessary fuel consumption.
- Efficient Route Planning: Emphasize the importance of planning routes efficiently to avoid unnecessary mileage and optimize fuel usage.
- Stay Informed and Adapt: Ensure drivers are aware of traffic conditions and are prepared to adjust their routes accordingly.
However, improving driver performance alone is not sufficient. Employing driver behavior monitoring is equally crucial. AddSecure offers comprehensive in-vehicle technology solutions that enable you to monitor driver behaviors effectively, ensuring that your investment in driver recruitment and training yields the best possible fuel-saving benefits.
Effective Measures for Fuel Cost Reduction
Regardless of the size of your fleet, there are immediate steps you can take to reduce fuel costs significantly. Consider implementing the following strategies:
Educate Your Drivers
Invest in structured and recurrent training sessions to ensure your drivers understand fuel consumption and develop fuel-wise driving habits. Motivate them by introducing elements of competition, such as reward programs for the best driving performance. Continuously update drivers on how they can enhance their driving skills. Remember, viewing driver training as an investment rather than an expense will not only help achieve cost reduction goals but also attract and retain skilled drivers, establishing your company’s reputation in the industry.
Tips for Fuel-Saving Driving
- Slow Down and Drive Conservatively: Speeding increases fuel consumption due to higher rolling resistance and air resistance. Most vehicles achieve optimal fuel economy below 80 kilometers per hour, and reducing speed by just 10 kph can improve fuel economy by up to 15%. Additionally, avoiding harsh braking and anticipating road obstacles can lead to considerable fuel savings.
- Offer Direct Feedback: Install systems like the AddSecure ADAS kit to provide in-vehicle feedback to drivers, helping them improve fuel economy by as much as 11%.
- Minimize Idling: Train drivers to switch off the engine if the vehicle is stationary for more than 60 seconds, as excessive idling significantly impacts fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
- Optimize Routes: Utilize up-to-date route planning software that considers traffic conditions, saving both time and fuel.
- Check Tire Pressures: Encourage regular tire pressure and condition checks, as worn or underinflated tires can significantly affect fuel consumption.
- Regular Vehicle Maintenance: Perform routine checks and services to ensure engines run smoothly and efficiently, resulting in lower fuel costs. Monitoring fuel consumption can also provide insights into a vehicle’s overall condition, as wild fluctuations may indicate underlying engine issues.
Reduce Fuel Costs with Driver Performance Solutions
To enhance your drivers’ performance levels and promote responsible driving, empower them with the Driver Monitoring System ADAS Kit from AddSecure. This comprehensive solution monitors complex road situations and driver behavior, helping prevent accidents and keeping drivers aware of their contribution to minimizing fuel costs.
Remember, prioritizing driver training, employing fuel-saving techniques, and utilizing advanced technology will not only reduce expenses but also contribute to a greener, more sustainable future.
ADAS features and benefits include:
- 1080p front-facing camera
- Driver facial recognition system
- Dedicated display alerts the driver whenever the system detects a potential hazard
- Improves safety for your drivers and reduces the risk of costly incidents
- Can be used with an AddSecure system to create a secure, closed loop for data gathered by the kit and access your data remotely from your devices
- Provides a range of warnings for the driver and operator, including Fatigue, Distraction, Lane Departure, Forward Collision, Distance Monitoring, Pedestrian Detection and more
- Ideal for use with AddSecure’s FHD 1080p DVR range
AddSecure is at the forefront of Driver Performance solutions. We’re Europe’s leading provider of driver behaviour technology.
Keep your drivers and other road users safe. Minimise your fuel costs and your CO2 emissions.