Changing driver behavior is the key to long-term success. There are five principles to changing driver behavior.

1. Engagement: All stakeholders — from senior management to local supervisors — should be engaged in the process of managing driver behavior. To ensure success senior leadership must support the initiative and communicate that support to everyone within the organization.

2. Policy: It’s absolutely critical that an organization has a well-communicated policy in place that defines acceptable driving practices as well as standard driving performance expectations, and that drivers fully comprehend the organization’s polices.

3. Training: New hires should receive onboarding assessments and training. Existing drivers should receive regular driver training to keep safety fresh in their minds. Violators should receive remedial training to help them improve deficient skills.

4. Measurement and Scoring: Organizations need to measure driving behavior through continuous MVR monitoring and real-time evaluation of the driver provided by telematics. Drivers should be scored for their driving performance. Whenever a driver exceeds the organization’s threshold for a given data parameter, the driver should be assigned points. Points should be tracked, aggregated, and categorized in order to identify high-risk drivers, as well as consistently safe drivers.

5. Immediate Management Action: When an event occurs — whether it is an accident, an infraction, a violation, or exceeding a set organization threshold — it is critical that action be taken immediately to improve the driver’s behavior. The action may include driver training, supervisor coaching, or ride-along observations, but it needs to be immediate in order to reinforce safe driving expectations.