Vehicle theft isn’t as much of an issue as it was in the early 1990s. In fact, because of increased law enforcement, increased vigilance and technological advances, there are fewer than half of car thefts today. Even so, when owning a car, you still need to take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of your vehicle, particularly in certain cities.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau has launched its yearly “Hot Spot’s report where it ranks hundreds of U.S. metro locations based on their auto theft rates. According to the NICB, for every 100,000 of communities’ residents, there were up to 780 vehicle thefts last year.
Summer is upon us and for fleet owners you know, all too well, that means more cars on the road, and more traffic for your fleet. There are some things you can do, though, that will help you get the best possible mileage for your fleet all summer long, including the following 15 things.
- Keep tires properly inflated. Dropping tire pressure as little as five PSI can decrease fuel economy as much as 2.4 MPG with larger vehicles feeling the brunt of this drop more than smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles.
- Update vehicle software. Fleet vehicles are often software-controlled vehicles that require frequent updates to maximize efficiency and identify potential problems that could impact fuel efficiency.
- Switch to synthetic motor oils. Fleet vehicles don’t have to work as hard with synthetics and enjoy better fuel economy as a result.
- Take a load off. Literally. Reduce the weight of the freight you’re hauling or the unnecessary equipment in fleet vehicles and watch the fuel efficiency rise dramatically.
- Drive at 55 miles per hour. Seriously, adjusting the speed from an average of 75 miles per hour to 55 MPH can reduce fuel costs substantially over the course of a year.
- Eliminate empty miles. If every leg of a truck’s journey involves moving cargo, you’ve eliminated empty miles, making the trip far more cost-effective.
- Discourage idling. Idling is public enemy number one when it comes to fuel efficiency. This is the time when trucks are essentially treading water while burning fuel. Educate drivers and create policies discouraging the practice.
- Clear out the clutter. Eliminate unnecessary vehicles from your fleet. If you don’t need every truck operating daily, odds are good you could save by reducing the number of trucks on the road.
- Install GPS fleet tracking. This system can help you monitor driver speed, idling times, plan more fuel-efficient routes for your fleet, and so much more.
- Monitor driver behavior. Don’t just set policies. Monitor and enforce them too. GPS tracking can help with this too, while holding your drivers accountable to the standards you establish for your fleet.
- Plan fuel-efficient routes. These routes may not always be the fastest routes, but they can save your organization money while improving safety and creating happier customers while cutting fuel costs at the same time.
- Perform preventative maintenance, routinely. Fleet vehicles operate more efficiently when all parts are working as they should. Regular maintenance ensures optimal performance and fuel economy.
- Avoid prime traffic. Huge traffic jams are big problems for fuel economy. Stop and go traffic is a killer for your fuel budget. Plan routes in high-traffic areas at off-peak hours.
- Choose fuel cards wisely. Look for fuel cards that offer easy integration and have built-in features that discourage fuel card abuse by drivers.
- Invest in adequately aerodynamic vehicles. Eliminating unnecessary wind resistance on vehicles can shave a lot of money from your fuel budget.
The more of these money-saving tips you implement this summer, the more money your organization stands to save in fuel costs.
Researchers in the College of Public Health from the University of Iowa conducted a new study that found young drivers are motivated to be safer when their parents talk with them about safe driving and combine it with the use of video monitoring technology.
The study found in-vehicle video systems paired with parent communication more effectively improved high school driver safety. According to the study, when parents received training on ways to communicate better with their teens about safe driving, it reduced the possibility of unsafe driving incidents in the future by almost 80 percent.
Around 3,000 teens between 15 and 18 years old in the United States die each year in vehicle accidents, according to the College of Public Health’s professor of occupational and environmental health and study co-author, Corrine Peek-Asa. This makes vehicle crashes the leading cause of teen death in that age group.
