Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Nominations Open for 2025 Fleet Safety Award

Applicants are fleet, safety or risk managers working with light- and medium-duty fleets. A panel of industry leaders will evaluate the nominations to determine the winner.

June 5, 2025
Collage of award winners

The Automotive Fleet Safety Award is bestowed every year, now as part of the Fleet Forward Conference Oct. 21-23, 2025 in San Diego. 

Photo: Automotive Fleet

2 min to read


Do you know a fleet or risk manager whose leadership and innovation have enhanced the safety of fleet drivers, their organizations, and the general public? Are you that person?

Ad Loading...

Consider nominating them — or yourself — for the annual Fleet Safety Award, presented by the American Automotive Leasing Association (AALA) and Automotive Fleet magazine. 

Ad Loading...

Submit a nomination for the 2025 Fleet Safety Award here! Nominations close on Aug 15, 2025.

Applicants are fleet, safety, or risk managers working with light- and medium-duty fleets. A panel of industry leaders will evaluate the nominations to determine the winner. The winner and two runners-up will be announced at the 2025 Fleet Forward Conference, which will be held in San Diego, California, Oct. 21-23.

Fleet Safety Award Honor Roll

Previous winners include:

  • Sandra Doucette, sr. manager of EHS at Advance Auto Parts (AAP)

  • Eric Richardson, deputy chief fleet officer for the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS)

  • Mark Peabody, global fleet manager at 3M

  • Frank A. Merlock, associate director, EHS & Sustainability for AbbVie

  • Sharon Etherington and Katie Franssen of Roche Diagnostics

  • Dina Kushaliyeva, senior HSE Manager, North America, for Direct Energy

  • Blair Schober, U.S. Fleet, EH&S, and Telecom Manager for Red Hawk Fire & Security

  • Joe Rader, VP of risk services for Fisher Auto Parts

    Woman receives award on stage.

    Sandra Doucette received the award at the 2024 Fleet Safety Conference from Mike Joyce of the American Automotive Leasing Association (AALA).

    Ross Stewart Photography

  • Nikith Rajendran, director of fleet operations for SolarCity

  • Chad Fay, vice president of Fleet & Supply Chain at Centuri Construction Group

  • Sandra Lee, director of worldwide fleet for Johnson & Johnson

  • Kristin O’Driscoll, fleet manager for Baxter Healthcare


More Safety

a crash test dummy in a car
Safety•by Jeanny Abraham•October 22, 2026

IIHS Crash Avoidance Tests Reveal Safety Gaps in Cargo Vans and Work Trucks

New crash-avoidance ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reveal inconsistent performance among commercial vehicles, with several popular cargo vans and heavy-duty pickups struggling to avoid collisions with other vehicles and pedestrians.

Read More →
AN AF news recap thumbnail
Safety•by Faith Howell•October 16, 2026

What’s Next for Fleet? Safety, AI & Industry Recognition | AF News Recap

Could your company's culture be encouraging distracted driving? This week, we're exploring how workplace expectations affect driver safety, what AI, EVs, and autonomous vehicles could mean for the future of fleet management, and how fleet professionals can strengthen their award nominations.

Read More →
a man driving with a cell phone in his hand.
Safety•by Jeanny Abraham•October 14, 2026

Does Your Fleet's Culture Encourage Distracted Driving?

What happens when the people responsible for enforcing safety rules are the ones setting the wrong example? The answer may reveal why some of the biggest risks to fleet drivers have little to do with what's written in the employee handbook.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Motorq Whitepaper Cover - Fleet Managers Ultimate Playbook
Sponsored•October 1, 2026

Fleet Manager’s Ultimate Playbook: Navigating the New Standard in OEM Connectivity

Rising operating costs, driver safety concerns, and unplanned downtime are putting unprecedented pressure on modern fleets. Discover how fleet managers use embedded OEM connectivity and real-time vehicle data to cut TCO, prevent downtime, and protect drivers without aftermarket telematics hardware.

Read More →
An AF news recap thumbnail with a woman pointing at the title "From driver well-being to EV charging"
Safety•by Faith Howell•September 21, 2026

From Driver Well-Being to EV Charging | AF News Recap

Mental health belongs in the fleet safety conversation. This week, we’re looking at five ways fleets can support employee well-being before a crisis, plus Holman’s expansion in Mexico, new one-day Fleet Forward passes, and why EV charging demand is outpacing infrastructure growth.

Read More →
Nexar and nauto logos
Safety•by Staff•September 15, 2026

Nexar-Nauto Merger Aims to Give Fleets Better Safety Intelligence Through Larger Driving Dataset

Stefan Heck tells Automotive Fleet that combining more than 10 billion miles of driving history with Nexar's AI models will give fleets deeper insights into driver risk and roadway conditions than either company could provide independently.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Two fleet employees talk beside work trucks beneath the words “Mental Health Is Fleet Safety,” highlighting the connection between employee mental health and fleet safety.
Safety•September 15, 2026

Don't Wait for a Crisis: 5 Ways to Build Mental Health Into Your Fleet Safety Program

For Suicide Prevention Month, fleet and safety leaders have an opportunity to put mental health where it belongs: at the center of workplace safety.

Read More →
hands covering toy car with digital widgets surrounding it
Safety•by Chris Brown•September 1, 2026

How Camera Data Can Strengthen a Fleet’s Insurance Renewal

Insights from a commercial insurance carrier and a broker show how fleets can turn video telematic data, driver coaching, and improved claims results into a stronger case at insurance renewal.

Read More →
An image to reflect an article on how the safest fleets aren't the ones with the most tech.
Safety•August 11, 2026

The Safest Fleets Aren’t the Ones with the Most Technology

You’ve made the telematics investment. Here’s how to capture the other half of its value and build the safest fleet on the road.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Cover of the AgileFleet white paper "Hidden in Plain Sight: Fleet Compliance Risks" with the AgileFleet logo and a photo of fleet vehicles parked outside a government building.
Sponsored•August 7, 2026

Hidden in Plain Sight: Fleet Compliance Risks

Fleet compliance isn't just about having policies — it's about consistently enforcing them. This practical guide reveals six hidden compliance risks common in public sector and shared fleet operations and outlines proven strategies to improve visibility, accountability, and audit readiness

Read More →