Worrying lack of road safety policy among business fleets

The survey, conducted by leading road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, also revealed that 48 percent of firms do not carry out regular vehicle safety checks, while over half (53 percent) do not have a health and safety officer responsible for fleet risk management in place.

Meanwhile, the survey, of 2,010 adults in the UK, also found that 65 percent of fleets do not use telematics or GPS tracking systems, and a further 39 percent of professional drivers have never been offered driver or rider training or assessment.

These statistics come at a time when the latest government data shows that the number of road traffic incidents where people were either killed or seriously injured (KSI) has effectively plateaued in recent years, remaining around the 30,000 mark on an annual basis[1], equating to more than 80 a day.

IAM RoadSmart director of policy and standards Nicholas Lyes said: “These findings are certainly alarming, especially in light of recent government data showing that progress on bringing down fatal and serious injuries has stalled.

“While most businesses will take road safety seriously, it’s clear that some need to do significantly more to limit the risk that their drivers pose both to their own safety and that of other road users. Bad business driving not only poses a risk to health and safety but also threatens to inflict reputational harm on businesses and cause repair costs and insurance premiums to soar.

“Investing in regular driver training is one of the best ways for firms to promote good road safety, staff well-being and keep costs down.”

Fleet managers who are keen to learn how best to manage the risks associated with driving for business purposes are invited to attend the online workshop that IAM RoadSmart is set to host on Tuesday 14 October.

Titled ‘A Manager’s Guide to the Risks and Responsibilities of Driving for Work’, the course will cover a broad range of topics, including the importance of managing associated risks, the laws that apply to work-related road safety, and what should be included in a Company Driver Risk Management Programme.

To find out more about the workshop, and to book your tickets, click here.

For further information on IAM’s Driving for Work course, visit www.iamcommercial.co.uk/driving-for-work/.