‘Freight Crimes’ Are Costing The Fleet Industry
A new report has warned about the rising threat that freight crimes are posing to the fleet industry.
With £250m lost to so-called ‘freight crimes’ each year in the UK, there’s a concern that more needs to be done to address the issue.
Part of the problem is that while insurance helps address the issue for many fleets and security is tighter than ever, premiums will rise if the sector as a whole experience widespread issues.
That could lead to higher costs and cut into margins for fleet owners, which is something we’d all like to avoid.
Freight Crimes And Road Safety
The concern for many fleet owners isn’t just the safety of their freight but of their drivers too.
While violent crime isn’t necessarily a big issue with freight crime, with the majority of incidents being opportunistic, albeit planned.
Fleet owners and drivers are being urged to be vigilant and ensure that they follow all proper procedures to ensure that their loading bays, trucks, cabins, and warehouses are safe whenever loading, unloading or parked.
Solutions are being suggested to increase security in truck parks, as one way of combatting the rise in freight crimes.
That would mean 24/7 security and the use of autonomous surveillance that will monitor the premises without the need for the physical presence of police or patrols at all times.
It’s hoped that by employing a double failsafe, many criminals will be deterred from attempting to hijack fleet vehicles or relieve them of their cargo.
The Impact On Fleets
As technology improves and the value of freight onboard any given fleet vehicle increases, crime is a reality that fleets, insurers, security and the police are going to have to be mindful of.
Smart solutions and more secure truck parks could be one way to ensure that’s always the case – pre-booked slots and ANPR licence plate monitoring is being suggested as one way to keep on top of things.
While pre-planned rest stops are a natural part of fleet planning, we all know that the reality is that traffic and incidents on the road aren’t predictable, so it doesn’t always work out as planned.
But by reducing the possible risk, you can do as much as you can to ensure you, your drivers and your freight is as safe as can be.
Between the risk of crime and concerns over road deaths in recent years, the impact on road safety is clear.
In fact, changes to mobile phone laws in 2022 attempted to address some of those concerns but the feeling among many road safety experts is that both punishments and technology to catch offenders need work.
AI cameras have been discussed while Operation SNAP is making use of dashcam and user-generated footage to catch offending motorists to make use of footage that the police simply wouldn’t be able to capture on their own.
Do you think freight crime is something to be concerned about? And do you think more needs to be done by police and authorities to keep drivers and fleets safe? Let us know in the comments below.
