Safety starts with culture: Rethinking fleet safety from the inside out

Published in recognition of Operation Safe Driver Week, this piece examines the foundation of effective fleet safety.

In an industry where margins are thin and the stakes are high, fleet safety is too often discussed solely in terms of compliance checklists and technological upgrades. But the real difference-maker, the foundation on which everything else rests, is culture.

A true culture of safety can’t just be installed like a new device. It must be built, nurtured, and lived every day by every member of an organization, from drivers up to the C-suite. For enterprise fleets, the challenge isn’t just how to implement safety protocols, but also how to embed safety into the organization's DNA.

A value, not a priority

When companies discuss safety, they typically frame it as a top priority. On its face, this may seem appropriate: Who wants to say that safety isn’t a priority? But priorities often change. One week it's safety, the next it's on-time delivery, and the week after that it's idle time.

Values, by contrast, are enduring. When safety is treated as a value, it informs every decision, from dispatch to driver training, across time and space. It creates a shared belief system that remains consistent amid growing business pressures and persists regardless of the challenges faced on the road.

Emphasizing safety as a value instead of a priority creates a mindset that ensures that, when tradeoffs arise, the default response is always to choose the safe option. After all, safety should be a cornerstone value of all fleets. Nothing we do is worth endangering ourselves or the motoring public.

The power of language

Culture is shaped as much by what we say as by what we do, and in fleet operations, common phrases can have unintended consequences even when deployed casually. Complimenting a driver as a "hard runner," for example, may seem harmless, but it can subtly reinforce expectations that prioritize speed under any conditions over safety.

Language matters. The way a fleet talks about performance, decision-making, and driver behavior signals to employees what the company truly values. Leaders must be intentional about the words they use so that safety is communicated not as a constraint, but as a professional standard and collective responsibility.

See also: CVSA placed 398 CMVs out of service for Brake Safety Day

Cultural Immersion

With turnover rates in over-the-road trucking regularly approaching 100%, fleets are in a constant state of onboarding. This churn makes immediate cultural integration urgent and essential. Drivers bring with them the habits and assumptions of their previous employers. If fleets don’t actively bring them into their own culture from day one, those past practices may persist—and not always align with the current safety philosophy.

Orientation is a critical moment of influence, and successful fleets ensure that multiple departments—not just safety, but operations and driver managers—are deeply engaged early in that process. Weekly safety check-ins for the first month, 45-day follow-ups, and coordinated training reviews all contribute to a sense of support and accountability. If you don’t bring drivers into your culture quickly, they’ll simply retain the culture of their last company.

Constant reinforcement

Culture isn’t built in a day, and it doesn’t maintain its influence unless it’s constantly reinforced. Leading fleets don’t just train drivers and send them out on the open road; instead, they support, review, and recognize them regularly. Monthly training modules can help reinforce key behaviors and adapt to evolving risks. Similarly, real-time feedback from telematics and in-cab video are resources to coach drivers on their performance.

Most importantly, safety is positioned as a shared responsibility rather than just another protocol to follow. Fleet managers, operations staff, and drivers all receive the same safety training and are held accountable to aligned metrics. When accidents or incidents occur, they’re reviewed as team events and something to learn from, not just individual failings. In standout programs, safety becomes part of the operating rhythm: a standing agenda item, a shared scoreboard, and a point of pride.

Recognition plays a vital role, too—rewarding safety excellence is a more powerful motivator than simply punishing mistakes. When drivers hit milestones like a million safe miles, they’re not quietly thanked in passing but celebrated company-wide. These moments reinforce the message that safe driving isn’t just expected, but honored.

A culture that holds

Technology continues to evolve, offering new tools to improve safety and efficiency, from collision mitigation software to a cacophony of fresh alerts. But without a strong cultural foundation, even the best tools can fall short.

A culture of safety requires more than rules or rewards. It demands leadership, consistency, and a deep respect for the professionals behind the wheel. And creating a culture that holds through language, values, early integration, and constant reinforcement isn’t easy. But it’s the surest way to protect drivers and the motoring public, serve customers, and build a resilient, high-performing fleet.

As the industry moves forward, those that embed safety into their culture won’t just comply with regulations—they’ll lead by example.