Setting 2027 Safety Goals With the Data You Already Have
“Drive safer” is a worthwhile intention, but it does not tell a fleet manager what to measure or what action to take next. Small fleets often already have useful information in GPS, camera, maintenance, training, and claims systems. The challenge is choosing a few measures that managers and drivers can influence, and turning them into a consistent monthly routine.
For a 2027 plan, start with your 2026 records. Pick two or three clear measures, define how each is calculated, and use the results to guide coaching and operational decisions. The goal is not to make a scorecard look impressive. It is to make safety progress visible and actionable.
Measure behaviors and actions the fleet can influence
Crash rates matter, but crashes are outcomes. They are important to monitor, yet a small fleet cannot control every factor that leads to one. Leading measures give managers a closer view of behaviors and safety processes they can address day to day.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) describes leading indicators as proactive measures that can help organizations identify whether safety activities are working. For a small business fleet operating vans and light trucks, useful candidates include:
- Harsh braking events per 1,000 miles: A rate that accounts for how far vehicles travel.
- Following-distance alerts: A view of a specific driving behavior to review and coach.
- Seatbelt compliance: The share of valid observations showing required seatbelt use.
- Backing incidents: A measure of preventable contact or damage during backing.
- Coaching sessions completed: A way to track whether managers follow through on identified risks.
- Claim response or closure time: A measure of how efficiently the company handles its part of a claim.
A fleet does not need to track all six as headline goals. Pick two or three that match its most frequent risks and current data quality. Keep crash and injury outcomes on the scorecard, too, but do not rely on those lagging results alone.
Build the baseline from 2026 data
Before setting a target, make sure the baseline is consistent enough to compare with future results. Pull the most complete 2026 data available for the vehicles and drivers included in the 2027 program. Note any gaps, changes in fleet size, or new technology that could affect the numbers.
For harsh braking, a normalized rate is more useful than a raw event count:
Harsh braking events per 1,000 miles = validated harsh braking events ÷ miles driven × 1,000
For example, 30 validated events over 10,000 miles equals 3 events per 1,000 miles. This calculation makes it easier to compare periods when mileage changes. Define what counts as an event, and review a sample of alerts to check for duplicates, sensor issues, or situations where the driver responded appropriately to a hazard.
Other measures need equally clear definitions. For seatbelt compliance, decide what counts as a valid observation and how unknown or unclear cases are handled. For coaching, define a completed session. An alert or automated message alone should not count as a documented coaching conversation.
Set targets that are specific, realistic, and fair
A target should state the measure, the amount of change, and the time period. Avoid borrowing a target from another fleet without knowing its routes, mileage, vehicle mix, and starting point.
Use the 2026 baseline to set a 2027 goal. For example, if a fleet recorded 3.0 harsh braking events per 1,000 miles, management could choose a modest reduction, such as a target of 2.7, if the data is reliable and the drivers receive support to improve. That is an example, not a universal benchmark. A fleet with inconsistent event data should first improve its measurement process rather than announce a precise reduction goal.
For each selected metric, ask:
- Can the fleet influence it? Coaching completion is within management’s control. The final timing of an insurer’s decision is not.
- Can it be measured consistently? If definitions change month to month, the trend will be hard to interpret.
- Will a driver understand what action to take? A specific behavior is more coachable than a composite score.
- Could the target encourage under-reporting or rushed work? If so, adjust the measure or how it is used.
Claim handling is a good example of where precise definitions matter. A fleet can track the time from an incident to internal review, evidence preservation, or claim submission. Final claim closure may depend on insurers, repair shops, or other parties. Track it if useful, but separate the company’s response time from factors outside its control.
Keep the scorecard short and review it monthly
A practical scorecard for a small fleet might include three leading measures and a small set of outcomes:
| Measure | Example definition | What managers can do |
|---|---|---|
| Harsh braking rate | Validated events per 1,000 miles | Review context and coach patterns |
| Seatbelt compliance | Valid observations showing compliance | Clarify expectations and address confirmed gaps |
| Coaching follow-through | Assigned sessions completed by the agreed date | Schedule time and check for unresolved barriers |
| Safety outcomes | Preventable crashes, injuries, and claims | Review trends and investigate incidents |
Following-distance alerts and backing incidents can replace or supplement these measures when they better reflect the fleet’s risks. For backing, account for exposure where possible. A team that performs many more backing maneuvers has more opportunities for an incident, so raw counts alone may not support a fair comparison.
Show the scorecard to managers each month and explain it to drivers. A short, visible report makes it easier to spot changes early and assign next steps. It also helps a small business keep its safety process moving without turning the scorecard into a second full-time job.
Use the numbers for coaching, not just consequences
Metrics can lose their value when drivers believe the purpose is punishment. Managers should review event context, listen to the driver’s account, and focus the conversation on one practical behavior. A harsh braking alert, for instance, could reflect unsafe following distance, or a driver responding appropriately to another vehicle cutting in.
Set expectations clearly. Explain what the system measures, how managers review events, and how drivers can raise a concern about an alert. Recognize improvement as well as problems. Avoid public rankings that shame drivers or reward low event counts without checking whether driving exposure or reporting has changed.
Technology can help managers review events while details are still fresh. Safety Track’s closed-loop fleet safety program connects telematics events, video review, coaching, and follow-up. Safety Track also offers a $99.95 per vehicle, per month unlimited video plan, including unlimited viewing and unlimited downloads. Managers have immediate control of their footage without waiting for vendor retrieval.
Expect leading indicators to change before crash rates
A fleet can see more completed coaching sessions, better seatbelt compliance, or a decline in harsh events before any change appears in its crash rate. That is useful progress, but it is not proof that crashes will fall by a specific amount. Crash data can vary from year to year, especially in a small fleet where one incident can noticeably affect the rate.
Review leading measures alongside preventable crashes, injuries, and claims. If a behavior metric improves but incidents do not, examine other contributing factors, such as route conditions, vehicle issues, scheduling, or how incidents are classified. If outcomes worsen, treat that as a reason to investigate, not a reason to discard every preventive measure.
No single metric captures safety. A short scorecard is a management tool, not a complete picture of driver judgment, road conditions, workload, vehicle condition, or near misses that were never recorded.
Make the 2027 plan a repeatable monthly habit
A strong safety goal is specific enough to guide action and simple enough to review regularly. Use the data the fleet already has to establish a 2026 baseline, choose two or three controllable measures, and assign an owner to each one. Review results monthly, discuss trends with drivers, and adjust the plan when the data or operating conditions change.
Small fleets do not need a complicated program to make progress. They need consistent definitions, fair coaching, and the discipline to follow up. Safety Track can help fleet managers connect vehicle visibility and video tools to a practical safety process. Contact Safety Track to discuss a fleet solution tailored to your operation.
Tyler Schneider is the IT Director at Safety Track, overseeing the company’s technological infrastructure and innovations. With a strong background in information technology and systems management, Tyler ensures that Safety Track stays at the forefront of tech solutions in fleet management. His strategic expertise supports the seamless integration of technology across the company’s operations.