Balfour Beatty has transformed driver safety performance and cut fleet risk in just a year with the help of Drivetech.
The safety partnership has cut high-risk drivers by two-thirds and slashed risk mitigation events by nearly three-quarters in just a year.
The infrastructure giant teamed up with the fleet risk management and driver training after identifying a surge in high-risk drivers through its Permit to Drive process in early 2024.
Working together, the businesses have implemented a robust, data-driven approach to identify risk, backed by high-quality, scalable training.
Following the delivery of 86 courses across 10 regions, the partnership has yielded a 67% reduction in high-risk drivers (from 263 to 86), a 72% faster intervention in risk mitigation (with response times cut from 183 days to 51 days) and a 98% success rate in mitigating identified risks.
Success has been attributed to a structured, tech-enabled approach. Real-time risk tracking is enabled through a shared training tracker on MS Teams and SharePoint, delivering seamless coordination. Aligned safety standards helped to standardise training reports and assessment thresholds, optimising driver evaluations. Additionally, regular strategy meetings and clear escalation channels enabled quick decision-making and efficient issue resolution.
Tim Fieldhouse, fleet services director at Balfour Beatty, said: “Ensuring our people get home safely to their loved ones is of the utmost importance to the business. This collaboration has meant that we can identify those drivers who need extra support and intervene quicker than ever before.”
The partnership has also sparked additional initiatives, including the development of a Category B driver package and electric vehicle training, reinforcing long-term fleet safety.
“Drivetech has an established track record for helping people make better and safer driving decisions,” said Nick Butler, director, Drivetech. “We’re proud to be supporting Balfour Beatty in its ongoing mission to support its fleet drivers and ensure their wellbeing. The results achieved so far are great and we’re looking forward to building on this as we continue working together.”
