The hidden costs of fleet accidents and how to avoid them

About this webinar

Fleet accidents impact more than budgets. They disrupt operations, strain resources, and affect public trust.

Recently, Element Fleet Management experts, together with partners from GeoTab, held a practical discussion on identifying and reducing the true costs of fleet accidents in our webinar: Fleet Essentials: The Hidden Costs of Fleet Accidents and How to Avoid Them.

The session explored how government and public-sector fleet leaders can take a more proactive, data-driven approach to safety, downtime management, and risk recovery, while building a culture of accountability that protects both drivers and communities.

Watch the webinar recording below to learn how to uncover and reduce the hidden costs of fleet accidents.

Here are three key takeaways from this session:

1. The cost of an accident extends far beyond the repair bill

A damaged vehicle is only part of the problem. Bill Collins, Managing Director of Element’s Government team, explained that specialized government vehicles serve critical missions, and every day they are out of service affects productivity and public service delivery.

Mark Iorillo, Senior Director of Element Risk Solutions, added that reputational risk is often overlooked. When a marked vehicle is involved in a crash, it can directly influence public perception of the agency. Addressing incidents swiftly and transparently helps protect both financial and community trust.

2. A holistic accident management strategy drives efficiency and recovery

Breaking accident management into isolated steps—from first notice of loss to repair and subrogation—creates inefficiencies and missed savings. Bill emphasized that fleets benefit most when they manage the process end-to-end. Early and accurate data collection after an incident enables better repair coordination, faster recovery, and more effective subrogation.

Brian King, Business Development Manager at GeoTab, noted that administrative time is one of the most underestimated costs. Automating reporting and centralizing data can free staff to focus on strategic improvements instead of paperwork. A strong subrogation program can recover up to 30–50% of repair expenses, returning real value to government budgets.

3. Prevention starts with data, not just policy

The most cost-effective accident is the one that never happens. Both Element and GeoTab stressed the importance of driver safety programs that combine behavioural training with telematics insights.

Brian shared a case study where a state’s Department of Transportation used connected vehicle data to improve seatbelt usage by nearly 100%, reduce speeding violations, and achieve a 25% reduction in claim severity, saving over $1 million in a single year.

Mark underscored that technology and analytics allow fleets to shift from reactive management to predictive and preventive risk control. By aligning safety, operations, and procurement teams, organizations can transform fleet risk into an opportunity for long-term efficiency and accountability.

Managing fleet risk is more than cost control

Reducing accident-related costs isn’t just about collision response, it’s about building a resilient, safety-first strategy that connects people, processes, and data. Through better planning, integrated systems, and proactive driver management, fleets can minimize downtime, protect reputations, and achieve measurable financial results.