With accidents occurring on the road every day, vehicle safety is a huge concern in New Zealand. For every fleet of
vehicles, safety should be made the main priority. Safety is not the sole responsibility of the drivers, however – it’s
also the technicians, dispatchers, and upper management who are responsible.
One way that many Kiwi businesses keep their drivers safe is through regular fleet servicing. A regular service can detect many issues with cars and other vehicles before they escalate to the point of causing
damage. It ensures that thorough safety checks are performed, and preventative maintenance is completed to avoid
accidents or time off the road.
Many business owners in NZ are now upping the technology used in their fleets as another safety measure. Adaptive cruise
control, collision warning systems, and lane departure warning systems are now integrated into many vehicles. Speed
monitoring is another popular safety option that can contribute to reducing accidents.
More fleets are also having cameras installed to provide more information about the reason that a driver may have been
suddenly braking or accelerating. This can help to detect the difference between an unavoidable incident and a driver
who may need some coaching.
One crucial way of managing safety on the road is by reducing the driving hours of workers. Whether it’s a fleet of
trucks or cars, staff should not be expected to drive for more than 13 hours a day. However, in terms of safety, less is
even better. Longer hours can result in drowsiness and inattention, both predominant causes of traffic accidents.
Owners of vehicle fleets in NZ seem to be becoming more aware of the need to prioritise safety in their vehicles. There
is a push towards increasing the awareness of the need to improve vehicle safety.