Back From The Future - Hopes, Habits and Reversing Road Safety Decline

1 May

Back in November 1984, the classic movie Back to the Future began filming. Notably, for the first seven weeks, the film was without Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly. However, fate intervened, flying cars were imagined and a family favourite film was born.

Meanwhile, on the roads in Ireland, 1984 saw fatalities dip below 500 for the first time in 15 years[i].

Fast forward to 2024 and once again, all is not well on our roads. While we have witnessed real progress in road safety since 1984, the Government’s recent goal of fewer than 72 fatalities by 2030 and zero by 2050 is in peril. Today, in a tragic reversal of 1984’s relative progress, we need to go back in time exactly 15 years to 2009 to see a worse start[ii].

While 1989’s Back to the Future II got some things right about 2015[iii], essayist Nassim Taleb wisely reminds us in his book Antifragile, that we should “invest in preparedness, not prediction.”

So, in this article*, with up to a third of all collisions involving someone driving for work, we will look at how Irish businesses can prepare for and prevent collisions.

Of course, road safety is complex and many factors contribute to crashes. Before we look at how businesses can help break bad habits, let us ponder the huge improvements made in vehicle design since 1984.

Back To 1984: Vehicle Safety The and Now

Forty years ago, safety features in vehicles were relatively basic. Seat belts were mandatory, but other modern safety technologies were not widely available or required in Ireland. The focus was more on passive safety features, while awareness and regulation regarding road safety were in the early stages of development.

Consider some of the key improvements in vehicle safety since 1984:

· Airbags

· Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS

· Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

· Improved Crashworthiness

· Active Safety Features

· Enhanced Child Safety

While vehicles are the primary cause in just 1% of fatal crashes, driver error accounts for around 90%[iv]. Given Ireland’s stated goal of zero fatalities by 2050 and the delays we have seen to the availability of fully autonomous cars[v], we need to turn our attention to the driver, their workplace and how bad driving habits can be changed. As the UK’s Driving for Better Business recently put it, “vehicles don’t crash, people do”[vi] and we can do something about this.

Breaking Bad Habits: Understanding Habit Formation

Drawing from the ground-breaking principles outlined in James Clear's best-selling book Atomic Habits, we can explore the psychology of personal habit formation and how it may be applied to foster a culture of exemplary driving practices in business fleets.

At the core of the book lies a simple yet profound framework for understanding how habits are formed and modified. This four-step cycle not only governs our personal routines, as businesses can use the same framework to create an environment that allows and expects good driving practices. This preparation, in turn increases the chances that drivers will make better choices behind the wheel.

Step One: Cue - The Signal for Action

In personal habit formation, a cue triggers your brain to initiate a behaviour. For fleet safety, cues can be environmental or procedural signals that remind drivers of the expected safe driving practices. Just as a blooming flower signals the arrival of spring, consistent visual cues in vehicles - like safety stickers or icons on dashboards - can signal the importance of safety at the start of every trip. Implementing a pre-drive checklist or a visual inspection routine serves as a physical cue, preparing the driver mentally for the journey ahead with safety as the priority.

Step Two: Craving - The Motivational Force

Craving is the motivational force in habit formation, the reason you want to perform the habit. In the context of fleet safety, the craving could be the desire for a safe work environment, recognition among peers or incentives from the company. Ideally, drivers should crave the sense of accomplishment and positive reinforcement that comes from adhering to safe driving practices. To cultivate this craving, businesses can implement reward systems or public recognition for consistently safe drivers, thus aligning personal desires with organisational safety goals.

Step Three: Response - The Actual Behaviour

The response is the actual behaviour prompted by the cue and motivated by the craving. For fleet drivers, this translates to the driving practices they adopt on the road. Like the process of brewing a perfect cup of coffee every morning through precise steps, the response in fleet safety involves executing specific driving behaviours with care. These practices include adhering to speed limits, maintaining safe following distances and using turn signals correctly. Providing drivers with regular training and refresher courses can enhance their skill set, making safe driving the most natural response to the cues and cravings established.

Step Four: Reward - The Satisfaction of Completion

Finally, the reward is what reinforces the habit, the satisfaction or benefit gained from the behaviour. In fleet safety management, the reward could be tangible benefits like bonuses for safe driving records or more intangible rewards like the collective pride in achieving a milestone of collision-free days. Celebrating these achievements and recognising individual contributions to safety can reinforce the desired behaviour, making the cycle of cue, craving, response and reward a powerful tool for cultivating a culture of safety.

Implementing the Framework: Strategies for Success

To effectively implement a better driving habit framework, businesses should:

· Identify and Set Clear Cues: Establish clear, consistent cues for safe driving practices, such as safety briefings, visual reminders in vehicles and pre-drive checklists.

· Create Cravings for Safety: Develop a strong safety culture that employees buy into, using incentives, recognition programs and a sense of team spirit to foster a genuine craving for safety.

· Facilitate Easy Responses: Ensure that following the desired safe driving practices is as easy as possible for drivers. This can be achieved through comprehensive training, ergonomic vehicle setups and technology aids like telematics.

· Deliver Meaningful Rewards: Provide rewards that truly resonate with drivers, whether through financial incentives, recognition, career advancement opportunities or a combination of these.

Conclusion: Getting Back to a Better Future

As we know, predicting the future is fraught with risk.

By viewing fleet safety through the lens of habit formation, businesses in Ireland can foster work environments where good driving practices are not just expected but become second nature.

Through consistent application of the cue, craving, response and reward framework, fleet safety can become a deeply ingrained habit, paving the way for healthier business environments.

And helping us get Back on the road to a Better Future.

Did you find article this useful?

Let us know if this resonates with you or if you have any questions about it or fleet risk management.

Related articles:

Metrics that Matter - https://www.driverfocus.ie/blogs/metrics-that-matter-in-motor-fleet

Beyond EVs - How to Reduce Carbon in your Business - https://www.driverfocus.ie/blogs/beyond-evs-how-to-reduce-carbon-in-your-fleet

Better Business Driving - https://www.driverfocus.ie/blogs/better-business-driving-how-to-drive-gains-or-losses

* This original version of this article appeared in the Irish Broker, 40th Anniversary Issue - May 2024. You can read it and our four prior features in Irish Broker here:

May 2024: "Hopes, Habits and Reversing Road Safety Decline"

January 2024: "KPIs: Metrics that Matter In Motor Fleet"

September 2023: "Better Business Driving: Insurance Brokers as the Drivers of Success"

February 2023: "Getting Ahead of Costly Motor Claims"

November 2021: "The Path to Sustainable Low-Cost Motor Insurance for SMEs"

Sources:

[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_road_traffic_accidents_deaths_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland_by_year

[ii] https://garda.ie/en/roads-policing/statistics/previous-years-roads-policing-statistics/fatalities-2008-2013.pdf

[iii] https://money.com/back-to-the-future-day-predictions-accuracy/

[iv] https://www.garda.ie/en/crime/traffic-matters/rules_of_the_road.pdf

[v] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/12/technology/self-driving-cars-coronavirus.html

[vi] https://www.drivingforbetterbusiness.com/driving-change/