Cut Fleet Collisions without More Driver Training
JANUARY 12, 2021 // JEFF VARICK
There’s no such thing as a tiny accident. But you might be surprised how much each accident is costing you. Because the cost of a collision is about more than just repairing the truck.
- You have downtime to deal with. That’s as much as $760 per day, at an average of 2.7 to 4.5 days out of service.
- There’s the rising cost of insurance with every collision. The average fleet was expected to see their premiums go up by six to 12 percent in 2019.
- And you might have a lawsuit on your hands. If an accident enters litigation, it could mean millions of dollars to your company.
The average fleet vehicle accident costs employers about $16,500. It jumps to more than $74,000 if there are injuries, and $500,000 or more if there’s a fatality. If you can prevent just one accident, it could be worth hundreds of thousands — perhaps even millions — of dollars to your business.
More Driver Training Doesn’t Do It
Driver training and education can help. But most fleet and commercial drivers don’t need much additional training. We all know that an accident can happen even to the best of drivers. The problem isn’t your drivers, and throwing resources at training and education won’t get you any closer to reducing your annual costs of accidents. But what if you could avoid fleet accidents, prevent those costs and even reduce your insurance premiums by making one simple change?
See More, Crash Less
The better you can see, the safer you’ll drive. Seeing forward is taken for granted, but most fleet and commercial drivers can’t see what’s going on around them — especially behind them. That makes it dangerous to back up or change lanes. Backing up occupies less than 1% of a driver’s time behind the wheel, but causes about 25% of all accidents. Your trucks have blinders that increase the chances of an accident every time a driver backs up or changes lanes. Without a clear, unobstructed rear view, your fleet or commercial vehicle safety is at risk. The answer is simple: improve your drivers’ visibility and you’ll reduce accidents and cut your costs.
Introducing the FullVUE® Mirror
Brandmotion introduces a way to improve driver safety, reduce fleet vehicle accidents, and keep costs down. The FullVUE Mirror gives your drivers a clear, unobstructed view behind your vans and trucks. This versatile safety device replaces the traditional rearview mirror by displaying an HD streaming video feed from a rear-mounted camera. It uses a full HD 1080p video screen to display exactly what drivers need to see, without the obstructions of passengers, cargo, or small rear windows. The FullVUE Mirror has become one of the most popular products that Brandmotion offers to consumer and fleet drivers. Now, Brandmotion is making this revolutionary product available to commercial customers as well. Drivers see a 3X wider, crisp, unobstructed rear and blind spot view with no obstructions. Your drivers can know exactly what’s going on behind them, even if your vans have no rear windows. That translates into fewer incidents on the road, from backing up or from blind spots and changing lanes. The FullVUE Mirror is quickly becoming very popular among fleets, because it lets your drivers see more than ever before. It also means fewer lawsuits if an incident does occur.
Use Video to Eliminate Litigation Costs
Every accident is a potential lawsuit, whether your driver is at fault or not. Most of the time, it comes down to one driver’s word against the other’s. Unfortunately, settling out of court is often the most expedient and least costly option for employers. But not anymore. The FullVUE Mirror’s always-on recording feature gives you indisputable video evidence that can eliminate the threat of litigation. The system comes with an HD rear camera and an HD front-facing camera that are continually recording. If there’s ever any question about a driver’s actions on the road, you’ll know exactly what happened. If an accident does occur, or a driver is reported for unsafe driving, you can go back to the video recording to see exactly what happened and who’s at fault. You don’t have to rely on a police report where both parties are pointing fingers. The camera is a witness that never lies.
Stop Paying More Than You Need To
You don’t need to invest in endless training to see your costs go down. Just give your drivers the visibility they need. FullVUE doesn’t just protect your costs — it protects your peace of mind. Stop worrying about unexpected repairs, unplanned downtime, and unwelcome surprises. In fact, you might even see reduced insurance premiums. One of our customers had lost their insurance, until they installed Brandmotion collision-avoidance systems like the FullVUE Mirror. Depending on the insurer and your situation, Brandmotion’s FullVUE Mirror can help cut your insurance costs to a more manageable rate. Installation time won’t be costly, either. It’s as simple as hanging the mirror, connecting the camera, and mounting the camera. With only three connections, installation has a short downtime and a quick turnaround. See what you’ve been missing — check out the FullVUE Mirror.
