Beverley Wise, Webfleet Regional Director for Bridgestone Mobility Solutions
As the heartbeat of UK road transport, fleet operators play a pivotal role in keeping our roads safe.
Road safety isn’t just a priority, it’s a proactive commitment to protecting drivers, vehicles and the wider community.
Today, the focus isn’t only on mitigating risks as they occur, but on using advanced telematics and maintenance tools to prevent these risks from arising in the first place.
One of the key ways fleet operators can strengthen road safety is through diligent vehicle maintenance. In a busy fleet environment, it’s easy for scheduled maintenance to fall behind.
However, integrated telematics solutions are making it easier than ever to keep up with these schedules.
Webfleet for example, Bridgestone’s fleet management solution, allows managers to plan maintenance using real mileage data from each vehicle’s odometer. This ensures services are scheduled at the ideal time, reducing the chances of costly breakdowns and potential accidents caused by mechanical faults.
Fleet management dashboards also offer at-a-glance maintenance reports, providing full visibility over a fleet’s needs, with the ability to manage tasks across all vehicles and track service intervals in one place.
A preventative approach is equally crucial to keeping vehicles roadworthy. Diagnostic tools can pull engine fault codes directly from fleet vehicles, alerting managers to issues in real-time. Whether managers are at their desks or on the move, they can receive alerts, enabling them to schedule necessary repairs immediately.
Tyre safety, a frequently overlooked yet vital aspect of road safety, is another area where telematics solutions are proving invaluable. Bridgestone Mobility Solutions has integrated a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) within Webfleet. Sensors constantly monitor tyre temperature and pressure, preventing potential blowouts and improving vehicle handling to keep drivers and other road users safe.
Video telematics takes safety to the next level.
Webfleet Video, for instance, uses connected dashcams equipped with AI and machine vision to monitor driver behaviour actively. This technology identifies risky behaviours, such as distraction or fatigue, and alerts drivers in real-time, encouraging self-correction. The cameras also capture footage that can exonerate drivers following incidents, reinforcing accountability and enabling a proactive approach to road safety.
The tangible impact of these technologies is clear. Since adopting Webfleet, Svella Connect has seen a 40% reduction in accidents thanks to the insights and safety features that Webfleet provides.
Fleet operators are uniquely positioned to shape safer roads, and with the right tools and commitment, road safety can truly become a core pillar of fleet management.
