At a Glance

The 2012 Fleet Safety Conference will provide attendees:

• Educational sessions and informational, motivational keynote presentations.

• Networking time with fleet managers and industry experts.

• Two days of non-stop safety talk.

Safety is one of the top five issues facing commercial fleet managers. Additional in-vehicle technology is increasing the number of potential driver distractions as well as upping the cost of accident management.

Addressing safety and risk management concerns from negligent entrustment to how to create a successful safety policy and program, the first-annual Fleet Safety Conference will take place May 22-23 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center in Schaumburg, Ill., sponsored by the American Automotive Leasing Association (AALA), Bobit Business Media, and endorsed by the Automotive Fleet & Leasing Association (AFLA).

“Driver safety and education has been a growing concern for the AFLA membership. As the only industry association solely focused on the needs of commercial fleet managers, AFLA has endorsed the Fleet Safety Conference as an important tool for our membership to achieve their mission of increasing the safety of commercial fleet drivers,” said Theresa Belding, senior manager, fleet services for Forest Pharmaceuticals and current president of AFLA.

In a recent Automotive Fleet article, Donna Bibbo, manager, fleet and travel for Novo Nordisk noted, “Safety will be my key focus for 2012. I expect to dedicate half of my fleet time on the area of safety and making sure our program is working, as well as putting new programs in place for our drivers.”

Our publisher offered his own perspective. “I’ve been fortunate to be part of the key OEM Fleet Advisory Boards since their inception in the early ’90s. Arguably, they consist of fleet managers from the larger, best-run fleets around and I can testify that each and every one of those Board members values ‘safety’ as their top priority, both for company policy and for the drivers themselves,” said Ed Bobit, chairman of Bobit Business Media and publisher of Automotive Fleet. “That’s exactly why we responded to the industry to create the ultimate learning experience with our Fleet Safety Conference. If you take the effort to carefully review the agenda and share it with your management, I believe you can build a strong case for attending. Your reasoning for the request will motivate their approval and both will benefit.”

Mike Butsch, director of global fleet operations for P&H Mining/Joy Global, said, “This is a great opportunity for fleet personnel from around the country to get together and visit with some of the industry experts on general, as well as DOT-related safety items. Anyone who has questions concerning DOT compliance should attend the session entitled, ‘ABCs of Federal & State Regs & Compliance for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Trucks.’ The panelists are some of the best folks in the country to ask questions of or visit with.”

Join others with this same focus on safety, hear from industry experts on how to minimize risk exposure, prepare for a safety-related lawsuit, and handle fleet fatalities (or drivers who are seriously injured). Learn the ABCs of federal and state regulations and compliance, the best practices for successful policies and programs, and much, much more.

In addition to educational sessions and plenty of networking opportunities, the Fleet Safety Conference, in conjunction with the AALA, will be presenting its Fleet Safety Award during a luncheon on Wednesday, May 23.

“The AALA is honored to sponsor the Fleet Safety Award. This award, as well as the entire Fleet Safety Conference, represents the ongoing commitment of the commercial automotive fleet leasing industry to safety on the roads for drivers, passengers and pedestrians alike,” said Pam Sederholm, executive director for AALA. “Moreover, it recognizes the professional excellence of the fleet and risk managers throughout the industry who are devoted to driver safety and business productivity.”

For more information and to register for this one-of-a-kind, two-day event, visit www.fleetsafetyconference.com.

Complete Agenda

Tuesday, May 22

10 a.m.-12 p.m.

• Pre-Conference Vehicle Demos of Onboard Safety Technology

12-7:30 p.m.

• Registration & Sponsor Displays Open

1-2 p.m.

• Welcome Greeting/Keynote

2-2:45 p.m.

• Distracted Driving: Dangers & Defenses

• How to Cope with a Fleet Fatality (or Drivers Who are Seriously Injured)

2:45-3:30 p.m.

• ABCs of Federal & State Regs & Compliance for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Trucks

• How to Prepare Yourself for a Safety-Related Lawsuit

3:45-4:30 p.m.

• Myth vs. Reality: Operation and Maintenance of Alternative-Fuel Vehicles

• How to Minimize Risk Exposure When Expatriates Drive Company Vehicles

4:30-5:15 p.m.

• Latest Trends in Using Technology to Increase Fleet Safety

• Proven Ways to Encourage Safe Driving by Non-Employee Drivers

5:15-6 p.m.

• How to Make Safety a ‘Top Down’ Effort

6-7 p.m.

• Reception

Wednesday, May 23

8-9 a.m.

• Breakfast

9-9:45 a.m.

• Keynote Address: Figures Do Not Lie

9:45-10:30 a.m.

• Negligent Entrustment Liabilities – Avoidance of Legal and Financial Threats

10:30-11:15 a.m.

• Best Practices: Successful Policies and Programs

• Comparing NHTSA and IIHS Safety Ratings to Real-World Experience

11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

• Proactive Communications with Company Executives and Drivers

• Benchmarking, Collaborations & Best Practices to Save Lives and Reduce Collisions

12:15-1:30

• Fleet Safety Award Luncheon (Sponsored by AALA and Automotive Fleet)

1:30-2:15 p.m.

• Vehicle Safety Product ‘Built-ins’

• How to Develop a Comprehensive Driver Accountability Program

2:15-3:15 p.m.

• Driver Profiling – Predicting and Preventing At-Fault Crashes

3:30-4:30 p.m.

• Town Hall Discussion with Corporate Risk & Safety Managers

4:30 p.m.

• Meeting Adjourns