With personal cars and with fleet vehicles, safer drivers cost less to insure. And at the other end of the driving spectrum, unsafe drivers raise premiums an average 10 to 15%.
Even safe drivers have bad days, bad commutes, and bad weather. So how do you make sure your drivers are following the rules of the road? And how do you convince your insurance company that they are safe?
GPS Fleet Tracking Saves on Premiums
Monitoring your trucks and how they are driven does three things:
- Reminds your drivers that Big Brother is watching, which is a check on speeding and other unsafe driving actions.
- Keeps a record of how fast trucks are going, which you can present to the insurance company when it’s time to discuss the next year’s rates.
- If an accident happens, you can prove your driver wasn’t at fault, thereby forestalling a rate increase.
Insurance companies need proof that your drivers are abiding by speed laws, aren’t braking too hard, and are accelerating smoothly. When you have GPS fleet tracking installed, you automatically have proof.
Driver Behavior
Drivers naturally respond to deadlines and late pickups by trying to pick up speed. This is when they get tickets and when accidents happen.
But when he knows the people in the office can spot his movements, it gives him pause. A smart driver will slow down and follow the speed rules. The result is better reports for the insurance company on driver behavior and also fewer accidents that can potentially drive up rates.
Theft Deterrent
Many insurers will automatically apply a discount when they know you use fleet tracking. The devices deter thieves, which is a major problem for insurance companies.
The units send alerts when vehicles are moved out of hours and without authorization. This starts a search, which is easily done. GPS can pinpoint the location of vehicles precisely.
Without GPS installed, finding a stolen vehicle is hard. It is usually a low priority item for local police. The result is fleet managers write off the truck, pushing the cost onto the insurer. Another outcome is increased premiums due to the missing vehicle.
Every percentage point your premiums go down saves you big by the end of the year. Installing fleet GPS tracking can save you money with business operating costs that can be used for growth and infrastructure.
