The availability of better data means that a more targeted approach should be the future of driver training, says Arval.
As well as collision and damage information, data ranging from telematics analysis through to fuel use and tyre wear can increasingly help fleet managers to identify who needs specific driving help, says David Watts, Fleet Consultant at the leasing and fleet management specialist.
He said, “Many businesses still have a blanket approach to driver training, whether that means online, classroom or in-vehicle. The tendency is that everyone who has a company car or van is trained in a similar way, or a company does not provide any driver training at all because it is considered too costly to train the whole driver population.
“The problem with the former is that this is an inefficient approach. It typically involves giving generic risk awareness training to people who don’t really benefit from it in the long term, and it also doesn’t identify those who might need additional or specific help. It’s unlikely that this approach, particularly if done in isolation, will have any material impact on the overall number and severity of vehicle collisions.
“However, the growing availability of better data is providing fleet managers with the means to identify drivers who would really benefit from training and even giving a strong indication as to the kind of training that they might need.”