Reap the rewards of fleet safety

Feature

Many deaths and injuries involving at-work drivers could be avoided by better road risk management, warns road safety charity Brake

People who drive for work have collision rates that are 30 – 40 per cent higher than private drivers. They are more likely to take risks such as eating food at the wheel, talking on a mobile phone or driving while tired. 40 per cent of high mileage drivers admit to having overtaken when they couldn’t see what was coming towards them.
    
In 2008, at least 748 people were killed and 6,150 were seriously injured in crashes involving at-work drivers. That’s more than 14 deaths and 118 serious injuries each week, many of which could have been avoided by better road risk management.
    
Managing road risk needn’t be a complex task and brings financial benefits as well as ensuring the company fulfils its social responsibility. Employers have a ‘duty of care’ under the ‘Health and Safety at Work Act 1974’ which applies regardless of the type or size of business. To comply with this duty companies must have a comprehensive road safety policy and management procedures, should ensure that drivers are trained and supervised to drive for work, and regularly audit the safety of journeys being undertaken.

Fleet Safety Forum
Brake, the road safety charity, supports company managers responsible for fleet safety through its not-for-profit ‘Fleet Safety Forum’. It provides regular resources and guidance to help companies improve road risk management, and runs regular workshops on key road safety topics, as well as flagship annual events such as its long standing Awards for Excellence, this year taking place on 1 July at the 4* Chesford Grange Hotel in Warwickshire.
    
This year’s awards has a record number of entries – more than 75, and the event is now sold out, with 270 attendees expected.
    
The night will award the best in the following categories:

  • Company Driver Safety
  • Eco Fleet
  • Fleet Safety Analysis and Action
  • Fleet Safety Product of the Year
  • Fleet Safety Provider of the Year
  • Road Risk Manager of the Year
  • Road Safety in the Community
  • Safe Vehicles
  • Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year
  • Kevin Storey Award for Outstanding Commitment to Road Safety

One previous winner is Peter Larner, managing director of Suckling Transport, a commercial operator with an 87-strong fleet. His commitment to road safety, coupled with specific ambitious initiatives introduced during 2008, such as the ‘Zero Incident Project’ that aims to reduce crash rates to zero, won him the Road Risk Manager of the Year award in 2009. On winning a Fleet Safety Forum Award, Peter says: “It was a great honour. Suckling Transport has won other awards in recent years, but safety has to be the most rewarding.”
    
Dr Will Murray, research director at interactive Driving Systems, explains that “winning a Fleet Safety Forum award, speaking at a Brake conference about your initiatives and being involved in the local community gives at least three opportunities to enhance your reputation, through your own media machine, the media power of the awarding body and via the local community groups. As one example, organisations actively involved in Road Safety Week are mentioned in local and national media around the country. For only a small investment of time and funds this allows you to participate actively in your local community and gain a great deal of good coverage for doing so.”

Benefits
Managing road risk is not free but there is extensive research demonstrating that the payback outweighs the cost very quickly. Better incident rates cut costs by lowering insurance premiums, cutting repair bills and avoiding vehicle and employee ‘down time’ after a crash. Properly maintained vehicles, driven safely within speed limits, will use less fuel. In fact, even a five per cent improvement in road safety can pay for itself within 9-12 months.
    
Having a good record on road safety also benefits the image of a company. Many firms that develop innovative and effective road risk strategies win prestigious Awards such as those offered by Brake’s Fleet Safety Forum, and take their knowledge to national conferences to share their experiences, raising the profile of the company, and extending contact networks.

For more information
Companies can subscribe to Brake’s Fleet Safety Forum and receive regular resources and guidance, for just £155 + VAT per year. Go to www.brake.org.uk/fleetsafetyforum, or contact Brake on 01484 559909 or fleetsafetyforum@brake.org.uk