Azuga Names Safe Driving Award Recipients
In preparation for National Safety Month, Azuga, a global provider of connected vehicle and fleet technologies, announced its first Safe Driving Award recipients of 2017.
In preparation for National Safety Month, Azuga, a global provider of connected vehicle and fleet technologies, announced its first Safe Driving Award recipients of 2017.
These quarterly awards are part of the Azuga Fleet Safe Driving Awards program, designed to motivate and incentivize both fleet managers and fleet drivers who make safe driving a key part of their operation and culture. Winners of the prestigious award receive cash rewards, certificates and social media recognition for being top performers amongst a pool of more than 50,000 drivers and 5,000 fleet managers across the globe.
“Although June is officially National Safety Month, we believe that drivers should practice safe driving habits 24/7, 365 days a year,” said Ananth Rani, co-founder and CEO of Azuga. “Our quarterly awards program celebrates drivers and fleet managers that have been empowered by our social telematics solution, which combines driver visibility, gamification, and instant rewards for safe driving.”
Azuga is proud to announce the following top drivers and fleet managers from the first quarter of 2017:
Drivers:
Ernest Sutterfield, M. Lipsitz & Co. Ltd
Spencer Hughes, AWP Inc.
General Antwon Dickens, Satellites Unlimited
Brent Carter, Corix Utilities
Tony Edwards, Aero Communications Inc.
James Doughtery, Laury Heating Cooling LLC
Dean Capps, Galaxy 1 Marketing
Kurt Kremer, Barton Mallow Company
Fleet Managers:
Eric Sietsema, Sietsema Farms
Jon Sims, Satellites Unlimited
Angel Lopez, Unique Freight Transport
Sam Smith, Ralph Smith Co.
Denny Walker, Ko Olina Transporation
Jon Erickson, Soils & Structures, Inc.
Anton Dagner, Ambassador Limousine
Patrick Garland, LT Environmental, Inc.
Winning drivers and fleets are announced on a quarterly basis, and at the end of the year, one driver and one fleet manager are chosen as top drivers of the year. The Safe Driving Awards winners are determined by analyzing all drivers’ safety events (speeding, hard braking, rapid acceleration, idling) using a proprietary algorithm developed by Azuga’s data science team.
Each individual safety component factors in the magnitude, duration, frequency and spatio-temporal index to determine the conditions under which the events occurred. Driver scores are visible to fleet managers and workers alike, and are an important tool for recognizing good driving behaviors and identifying areas where coaching is needed.
To learn more about how Azuga’s fleet customers incorporate safe driving into operations and culture, click here. Fleet drivers who would like tips and tricks on how to be a safer, more efficient driver should follow Azuga’s blog here.
More Safety

Managing Road Risk at Scale: Why Fleet Safety Needs a Data-Driven Framework
Insights from the FIA Road and Driver Safety Indexes reveal how to manage road risk on a larger scale.
Read More →
Stellantis Recalls 1.3 Million Jeep Vehicles Worldwide Over Fire Risk
Stellantis is recalling more than 1.3 million Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator models worldwide over a fire risk linked to power steering pump wiring.
Read More →
Coaching Is Not Training, Even When AI Is Doing It
AI-powered safety platforms can detect risky behaviors and deliver immediate feedback. But effective driver development still requires a foundation of training followed by coaching that reinforces those skills.
Read More →
How Emotions Behind the Wheel Can Affect Fleet Safety
During National Safety Month, fleets are encouraged to look beyond distracted driving and recognize how stress, fatigue, and emotional well-being influence driver performance and crash risk.
Read More →
Nominations Open for 2026 Fleet Safety Award
Nominations have officially opened for the 2026 Fleet Safety Award Winner.
Read More →
Turning Connected Vehicle Data Into Decisions That Matter
Fleet leaders have more data than ever, but turning that data into clear, actionable decisions remains a challenge. This white paper shows how leading organizations are using connected vehicle data to improve safety, reduce costs, and optimize fleet performance. Learn how to turn insight into action across your fleet.
Read More →
Cameras, Safety and Insurance: From Reactive Claims to Real-time Prevention
Commercial auto remains one of the most challenging and costly lines of coverage for fleet operators and insurers alike. Learn more about how to effectively address these issues from Onur Aksan, Enterprise Business Development Executive, Geotab.
Read More →
NAFA Fleet Safety Symposium to Collocate With 2026 Fleet Forward Conference
The daylong certificate program will precede the Fleet Forward Conference at the Gaylord National Harbor in Maryland.
Read More →
The Distractions You Can’t Turn Off: What Drivers Face Outside the Vehicle
Fleet drivers face constant visual, cognitive, and environmental interruptions the moment they hit the road. From roadside chaos to mental fatigue and digital overload, today’s biggest driving risks often come from outside the vehicle itself.
Read More →
FLASH Weather AI Launches First Deep-Learning Hail Prediction Model With High-Resolution Forecasting
FLASH Weather AI has launched a first-of-its-kind hail prediction model capable of forecasting hail size and arrival time at 1-kilometer resolution up to 55 minutes ahead, giving fleets and insurers critical time to prepare for severe storms.
Read More →
