Stress: How can fleet managers identify and manage stress on the road?

Stress is one of the leading causes of absenteeism in the workplace. In fact, 76% of workers report moderate-to-high or high levels of stress, and one in five have taken time off in the past year due to stress.

For fleets, unmanaged driver stress and fatigue can have significant safety consequences – as well as impacting your business operations and productivity. On this year’s World Mental Health Day, Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) Fleet is highlighting the impact of stress on fleet drivers – and how that stress can affect their ability to drive safely.

What’s the risk?

Stress can affect people in a variety of ways. However, there are a number of common risk factors associated with driving while stressed, which can result in an increased likelihood of driving errors or accidents. These include:

• Distraction of focus: when stressed, drivers are far more likely to not be fully concentrating on the road and driving task because of other things on their mind. This often means they’re not paying enough attention to their surroundings, which can increase the reaction times of responding to hazards on the road, potentially leading to incidents or collision that could have been avoided. Driver’s may be operating on ‘autopilot’ as their focus is elsewhere.
  
  
• Increased likelihood of errors and risk of accidents: stress can impact a person’s ability to sleep well, so can potentially cause physical symptoms such as drowsiness and fatigue. Eating habits or a person’s appetite can also be affected – again leading to physical symptoms such as nausea or dizziness. The physical side-effects of stress can increase the risk of drivers being involved in a road incident.
  
  
• More erratic driving behaviours: stress can increase driver aggression, which can lead to higher levels of road rage. This can also result in increased instances of speeding and heavy braking, which not only increases risk for drivers and those around them, but also increases wear and tear on the vehicle itself. 

Spotting the signs to maximise safety and support drivers

It’s important that fleet operators are able to recognise and monitor the impact of stress on their drivers. It’s an employer’s duty of care to ensure provisions  are put in place and made available to support drivers and help reduce their stress levels.  

There are a number of steps fleet operators can take to prioritise driver wellbeing and reduce the safety risks that come with driving while stressed:

1. Schedule regular check-ins with drivers – have regular, open and honest conversations with drivers. This will give them the opportunity to talk to you about any concerns or stresses they have, which might impact their ability to drive safely. 
   
   
2. Have a clear support system in place – ensure drivers have access to impartial, additional support for stress, such as an employee assistance programme. Make sure these support systems are clearly signposted.
   
   
3. Monitor telematics data – where possible, use insights from telematics data or remote monitoring software to identify changes to driver behaviours that may be a leading indicator of stress, such as increased instances of harsh braking, rapid acceleration or instances of vehicles incidents and/ or collisions.
   
   
4. Regularly review driving schedules – take the time to assess individual driver’s schedules, ensuring they aren’t driving for too long without sufficient, dedicated rest periods.

“We shouldn’t underestimate the impact stress can have on drivers’ personal wellbeing and their ability to drive safely,” explains Emma Loveday, Senior Fleet Consultant at VWFS Fleet. “By regularly checking in with drivers, offering a clear support system and harnessing the insights offered by telematics data, fleet operators can begin to spot the signs of stress and better support drivers.

“On top of this, regularly reviewing driving schedules to ensure regular breaks, minimise back-to-back travel and factor in additional time for journeys to take traffic into account, can also positively impact stress levels.

“In turn, all of these measures will improve staff wellbeing, enhance safety on the road and help with feelings of stress.”

There are a number of resources fleet operators can access to help educate the wider organisation on driving and managing stress levels. For example, Driving for Better Business offers a range of support materials, which can help drivers to navigate the challenges of a busy schedule and ensure both fleet operators and drivers are equipped to identify and manage stressful situations or patterns.