Partnering for safer roads with fleet safety training

Comprehensive fleet training and development are central to advancing and supporting road safety by elevating knowledge, competencies and a sense of accountability for a fleet’s key stakeholders across operations.

These programs disseminate accurate information while also fostering narrative sharing, peer-to-peer dialogue and the exchange of best practices. Through such initiatives, drivers, fleet managers and supervisors gain a deeper understanding of traffic hazards, regulatory requirements and the human factors influencing crashes. Comprehensive training extends beyond solely instruction on regulations and equips participants with the skills to identify risks, make informed decisions under pressure and adopt defensive driving techniques that mitigate the likelihood of collisions.

Building on this, when we look at truly effective and dynamic training programs, we see they help cultivate a shared culture centered on safety, encouraging individuals and organizations alike to value responsible behavior and pursue ongoing education. As advancements in vehicle technology and infrastructure occur, continual learning ensures professionals remain informed about new technologies, regulatory updates and safety equipment such as telematics, surround cameras and advanced driver-assistance systems. Sustained investment in training and development results in fewer crashes, decreased fatalities and injuries, reduced liability, lower insurance premiums, enhanced productivity and notable improvements in financial performance.

Focusing on small and midsize operators

The Together for Safer Roads (TSR) Focus on Fleet Safety program was created to use the best practices of some of the biggest fleets in the world to strengthen safety leadership and culture within small and midsize commercial fleets.

It provides companies with practical tools, peer-learning opportunities, surveys, coaching and best practices to help them move toward a deeper, more sustainable commitment to safety. The program combines training, leadership development and technology integration to improve how fleet operators manage risks, train their drivers and measure safety performance.

What makes the program unique is its focus on smaller fleets, which make up the majority of commercial operations yet often lack the dedicated safety resources of larger companies. By empowering these fleets with guidance and support, the program addresses a critical gap in road safety. It encourages organizations to adopt a proactive, data-driven approach that reduces crashes, injuries and fatalities not only within their fleets but across the roads their vehicles share with the public. Through its emphasis on collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement, the Focus on Fleet Safety program advances the broader goal of safer roads for everyone and aligns with global efforts toward Vision Zero—the ambition of eliminating all traffic deaths and serious injuries.

Partnering near and far

During this past year, TSR launched Focus cohorts across various industries and geographies in partnership with key organizations. For example, working with the National Waste & Recycling Association of Arlington, Virginia, more than three dozen of the association’s member fleets have participated in the Focus program, supporting the industry’s efforts to improve injury and fatality rates. A particularly important and effective aspect of the program is that participating fleets learn together in cohorts of up to 10 so safety leaders can learn from one other, sharing best practices, questions and concerns while simultaneously supporting each other throughout the learning process. 

This past summer, an international version of the Focus program in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research was launched. In July, the program held a global training workshop in Abuja, Nigeria, bringing together more than 75 attendees from government, academia, public fleets, commercial fleets, the Federal Road Safety Corps of Nigeria and more under one roof to discuss how best to train and support fleets in Nigeria and across the globe. The workshop included speakers and panelists who discussed the global and regional challenges and opportunities associated with road safety, with leaders from AB InBev, UPS, New York City, the Ministry of Transportation Nigeria, GIG Mobility, the Federal Road Safety Corps, Dangote Industries Ltd. and more discussing how they are training fleets to save lives on our roads.

In the coming months, TSR will expand its Focus program to incorporate not only the foundational “top down” methodology of the program but also new comprehensive driver training initiatives tailored to specific industries and the unique situations that drivers must be trained for. Initial programs will focus on waste management and the for-hire driver workforce. For waste management, TSR will examine driver challenges related to truck design, operational demands and exposure to heat.

Incorporating internal evaluations

Fleet safety training also can and should include internal evaluations to understand an organization’s strengths and weaknesses. A new Road Safety Index produced by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), Paris, is an important tool that focuses on how companies can understand their effects on road safety and how to report ambitions, actions and results. 

The safety index provides a way to measure safety similarly to how a carbon footprint is tracked for baseline and improvement reporting. As the review is underway, fleets go through a number of assessments, including supply and value chain analysis; commitments to policies and targets; and collecting data relating to crashes, serious injuries and fatalities. During each of these steps, training opportunities become evident and can be implemented by an organization as part of the goal to improve the FIA Safety Index score.

Building on its mission

The TSR Focus on Fleet Safety program will continue to build on its original mission to train small and midsize fleets on the best practices of creating a culture of road safety while also developing further global partnerships, creating an industry-specific driver training program and using the learnings from the FIA Road Safety index.

Together, we can move the needle on road safety through training, leadership development and technology to meet our moral and market-driven imperatives to save lives.

Peter Goldwasser is the executive director of Together for Safer Roads, Brooklyn, New York, and Jim Olson is president and owner of JH Olson & Associates of Mesa, Arizona.