June is National Safety Month! What better time to explore a 360-degree view of driver health and safety – taking stock of our preferred vendor partners in the ClearMarketplace who are helping fleet owners and truck drivers across the nation live safer, healthier, more rewarding lives.
Let’s get started with how to cultivate a culture of healthy drivers, healthy driving behaviors, and healthy, maintained vehicles.
Truck Driver Health – An Epidemic That Deserves Attention
Beginning with driver health, here are some cold, hard facts about truck driver health.
- Truck drivers have the highest rates of obesity and diabetes than any other occupation in the United States.
- 70% of America’s truck drivers are obese.
- THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF TRUCK DRIVERS IS 16 YEARS LESS THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON.
- On average, obese drivers file twice as many workers’ comp claims and are absent thirteen more days of work each year due to injury.
- Obstructive sleep apnea (with higher BMI as a contributing factor) doubles a truck drivers’ crash risk due to increased driver fatigue.
It goes without saying that driver health impacts a driver’s risk score, number of insurance claims, absenteeism, accountability, and retention. It may seem like an uphill battle, but improving driver health IS POSSIBLE and makes a significant impact on the wellbeing of our driver workforce, the harmony of our supply chain, and the safety of our roadways. As mentioned in our blog post, The Evolution and Future of Driver Health and Fitness: An Interview with Health Expert, Dr. Mark Manera, Dr. Manera is partnering with drivers and enabling them to replace unhealthy habits with healthier ones. Learn more about driver health with our ClearMarketplace partner, Supply Chain Fitness, and the transformative work that Dr. Mark Manera is doing at http://www.supplychainfitness.com/clearconnect.
Safe Driving Behaviors Prevent Accidents
Driving behaviors play a significant role in accident prevention. Data tells us that about 95% of all traffic accidents are preventable by adjusting driver behaviors. 95 PERCENT! The challenge is that no matter how much you provide safety-training courses and reward drivers for their progress, it’s real-time observations and over-the-air coaching that make the most impact.
AI-powered dash cam technology from companies like TruckSpy, a ClearMarketplace partner, can provide a range of resources to break bad driving behavior habits and change your safety outcomes:
- Video monitoring
- Real-time driving alerts
- Live coaching
- Two-way messaging
- Comprehensive analytics
TruckSpy’s dash cam and driver coaching program results in a proven 90% fewer accidents than the national average (FMCSA). Now, that’s data worth talking about!
Maintaining Your Vehicle Saves Lives and Money
What about maintaining a healthy vehicle? Statistics report that tires and brakes are the leading cause of vehicle breakdowns causing over half of all commercial vehicle failures. These factors were also among the most common commercial vehicle maintenance violations.
With a vehicle telematics solution like ClearTelematics, you can begin to optimize your vehicle maintenance schedules and put them on auto-pilot:
- Lower your risk score
- Reduce the cost of breakdowns and violation penalties
- Identify and address potential risks to your fleet before they happen with real-time diagnostics
Learn more about vehicle health and maintenance with our telematics ClearMarketplace partner, Matrix iQ.
Don’t forget to join us this week on social media as we identify the facts and offer straightforward solutions for driver health and safety! And, for a wider body of information to help you develop your safety culture, check out the National Safety Council’s website.