Navigating Fleet Accidents: An Expert Guide to Effective Collision Management
July 14, 2025
July 14, 2025
If you manage a fleet, getting into an accident is likely something that's been keeping you up at night. After all, it's not enough to hope for the best and cross your fingers — being prepared for collisions can truly make or break your fleet’s productivity on the road.
That's why we've created this guide to collision management. With our collective knowledge and helpful tips, you'll be able to navigate what comes after an accident with confidence. We'll help you identify preventable risks while understanding crucial steps such as reporting requirements and taking corrective action when needed. Read on to learn how an effective collision management system can ensure the health of your fleet.
One key task in collision management is to prepare for the legal impact. Dash cam footage is not enough to exonerate your drivers from an accident claim. During litigation, companies need to prove their commitment and excellence to safety by demonstrating proper protocol — going beyond what's captured from a crash incident.
If your fleet is involved in an accident, it's essential to file an FNoL (First Notice of Loss) as soon as possible. This document notifies the insurance company of the accident and sets the process in motion for handling the claim. During this process, you should work with your insurance company to gather all necessary documentation and information for the claim. This includes accident reports, witness statements, photographs, and more. The goal is to ensure a fair settlement for all parties involved and to get your fleet back on the road as soon as possible.
So, how do you ensure your drivers are meeting safety standards? Practicing positive driver coaching sets the scene for drivers to be open to performance feedback. Providing a blend of positive and constructive feedback results in a true conversation with drivers, which yields success in the form of consistent safe driving.
Review Your Data
To be prepared for insurance claims, you must know all your fleet's data, which can be overwhelming. Netradyne Driver•i sifts through and organizes your data so you don't have to. Knowing the context behind driver behavior such as speeding, stop sign compliance, and hard braking will help you understand what leads to accidents. And Driver•i is the only safety system that provides you with this data to assist you in collision management.
Establish a Safety Program
To clear your drivers from accusations, you’ll need more than video footage. You’ll also need to demonstrate your company's commitment to enhancing safety measures and the actions you’re taking in this regard. This requires you to acknowledge and encourage your drivers so they’ll practice their responsible conduct consistently in the long run.
Know What to Look For
The outcome of your claims will depend on the data you’ve collected. The more data, the better results you can expect from your collision management program. Driver•i not only records 100 percent of drive time, but also organizes data so you’ll know which events are most important to address.
If your fleet is involved in an accident, you may want to consider initiating a DataQ Challenge in the Crash Preventability Program. This challenge is a request to review and correct the data in your fleet's safety measurement system. It's important to initiate these challenges promptly with complete and accurate information about the accident.
In many cases, the accident will be added to your Crash Indicator Basic if it meets specific criteria. This is where you can use the Crash Preventability Program, which is a part of the DataQ program, if you believe the accident was non-preventable for your fleet driver. When you initiate a preventability challenge, the FMCSA will review the facts of the crash and any evidence you submit. If they make the determination that the crash was not preventable by your driver, it will remain on your Crash Indicator Basic but will be moved to a different category that states the accident was not preventable by your driver. This also means that the specific accident will not be counted towards calculation of your Crash Indicator Basic measurement.
To stay on top of risk management, collision management, and collision prevention, regularly ask these questions:
With the right data available, companies can rebuke claims by understanding what leads to accidents and how they can decrease risk and improve safety outcomes. It’s imperative that businesses understand what steps they need to take to exonerate their drivers before it's too late.
Driver•i is the only system that provides the level of detail and accuracy necessary for success in collision management, making it essential for any safety program. Take control of protecting your company now by learning best practices for a fleet safety program.
Capturing high-definition video footage is a key part of collision management. But you’ll also need to demonstrate that your company takes safety seriously and has a robust fleet safety program in place.
Data plays a huge role in collision management. The more data you’ve collected from the road through your dash cams, the better results you can expect from your insurance claims. If you use an AI-powered dash cam system such as Netradyne Driver•i, you’ll be able to sift through hours of video footage quickly to find the specific incidents that require your immediate attention.
You can prevent many collisions and reduce the need for collision management by providing your drivers with positive driver coaching. Rather than simply pointing out their mistakes, make sure your coaching focuses on reinforcing the safe maneuvers your drivers perform each day. Drivers will respond well to this motivation and embrace safe driving habits over time.
* Individual results and conditions may vary.
** Based on customer data.
† Netradyne must receive written approval to share client data.
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