Digging Deep: Leveraging Telematics Data to Strengthen Fleet Safety

Most fleet safety programs have been built around the incident review. A crash happens, followed by an investigation. Procedures are adjusted. Training is reinforced.

There is no doubt this work matters. But what can leaders do to identify and address risk before an incident occurs?

For utility fleets that have invested in telematics, one option is to dig deeper into that wealth of information. Contemporary telematics systems analyze vehicle and equipment data, flagging risky operator behavior and providing fleet professionals with real-time details about asset trends that they can use to prioritize and guide their work. Critically, these features offer learning opportunities while aiding accident prevention efforts. If crashes do occur, telematics systems can capture vital details, such as precise locations and video footage.

Adoption is Accelerating
Just a few years ago, many fleets were testing these systems or running small pilots. Today they are rapidly becoming standard tools. Results from a Verizon Connect fleet technology survey conducted in 2025 found that about 80% of fleets now use GPS tracking. Nearly half also use video telematics systems, up 10% from 2023 (see www.verizonconnect.com/resources/ebook/fleet-technology-trends-report/).

Video coupled with GPS tracking enables fleets to identify unsafe trends and reduce accident-related costs. In the Verizon Connect survey, 32% of GPS users said that they achieved their goal of decreasing accidents, while 48% of video telematics users indicated they were able to reduce accident costs.

Over the next 12 to 18 months, improving driver safety is the primary goal video telematics users plan to focus on, with 71% of survey respondents reporting that it is their top priority, followed by reducing accident costs (58%), improving protection from false claims (57%) and reducing insurance costs (42%).

Reading the Road
Field work often requires vehicle operators to move heavy equipment through work zones or navigate tight corridors, with crews standing just feet away. Other times, operators must contend with crowded highways, poor weather or rush-hour traffic. Even on a calm day, the margin for error is small.

Telematics technology measures what is happening, from vehicle speed and operator braking force to acceleration and cornering. Video reveals the backstory. GPS tells users where an event happened and where it repeats; over time, the same intersection or stretch of road might show up as a recurring problem, requiring leadership attention.

This visibility changes conversations. Rather than respond to post-crash incident reports, fleet managers can proactively review what drivers encounter each day and coach them accordingly, lowering the risk of future events. Fleet dashcams can also identify mobile phone use and unfastened seat belts, and they can flag following distance, capturing video footage that triggers alerts for drivers and fleet managers.

AWP Safety (www.awpsafety.com), an Ohio-based company that secures over 1 million work zones each year, leverages telematics data to assess its drivers and locations. Leaders then coach drivers on desired behaviors, using video footage to share context with them. If a driver braked too hard, for example, footage may reveal that the action was triggered by a sudden halt in traffic or another vehicle cutting across the lane.

Anticipation coaching can mitigate harsh braking events. Simple adjustments – such as managing speed sooner as traffic starts to slow, extending following distance earlier or deciding on lane position before things tighten up – allow drivers more reaction time.

AWP also reviews location data to determine if events are concentrated in certain corridors, occur at certain times or can be linked to certain job types. Context matters here as well, indicating whether an issue is isolated to one driver or tied to crew operating environments.

Measure What Matters
Several indicators have moved in the right direction since AWP has expanded camera deployment and driver coaching programs. In recent data comparisons, mobile phone distraction fell 17%, declining to 0.335 events per 1,000 miles. Missed seat-belt events dropped 35% to 0.286 events per 1,000 miles.

Other improvements have been noted as well. Crashes decreased 15%, reaching 0.005 events per 1,000 miles, while speeding declined 43% to 0.044 events per 1,000 miles.

Interestingly, harsh driving (e.g., braking, turning, accelerating) alerts increased 21%, but that number does not necessarily reflect poor driver behavior. Telematics systems may trigger more alerts when vehicles spend considerable time in traffic and active work areas, even when drivers are adjusting correctly. This is another reason cameras matter.

Trust Before Tech
Data can elevate safety, but only when its findings are combined with strong leadership and clear expectations. A critical first step with any new technology is explaining to employees how it will be used. Without that conversation, employees will fill in the blanks themselves, potentially assuming GPS tracking and cameras installed in fleet vehicles will be used to keep tabs on them.

Keep in mind that telematics data also highlights positive performance, not just errors. Leaders can use it to identify and recognize drivers who consistently follow best practices, reinforcing safety as both an organizational value and an expectation.

Safer Fleets Ahead
Utility operations will always involve risk. Crews must travel, maneuver heavy equipment and work near traffic. What’s changing is the increasing visibility of daily fleet operations. Telematics platforms provide a continuous stream of vehicle data that can reveal operator training needs, repeated high-risk activities and where leaders must step in. As the industry looks to the future, these platforms will almost certainly become more sophisticated, boosting management’s ability to gain critical operational insights and enhance safety.

About the Author: Bob Adamsky is senior director of fleet at AWP Safety (www.awpsafety.com). He has more than 30 years of fleet management experience, including overseeing large commercial fleets in the landscaping and HVAC industries, and currently serves as a member of the Work Truck Editorial Advisory Board.