BSI introduces new road traffic safety standard

Business standards company BSI has launched a new standard to address international concerns around road traffic safety. 'BS ISO 39001 - Road traffic safety management systems' provides a common, agreed industry standard aimed at targeting the reduction of death and serious injury in road traffic crashes.

The new standard encourages organisations to demonstrate their commitment to the safety and welfare of employees and the general public by adopting a best practice management framework to reduce exacerbating risks in this area.

Importantly, the standard includes an annex which compares the requirements of the road safety standard with BS OHSAS 18001, the recognised management system standard for occupational health and safety which sets out a structured framework for combating complacency and identifying continual improvements in best practice safety management.

The timely publication of BS ISO 39001 coincides with the recent Department for Transport (DfT) annual report which shows that socio-economic and health impacts of road traffic crashes are substantial. The study highlights a 3% increase in people killed in road traffic accidents from 2010 to 2011 as well as a 2% increase in those seriously injured.

“Global research has shown that death and serious injury can be considerably reduced by adopting a holistic safe system approach to road traffic safety,” Elaine Munro, global portfolio manager at BSI, said.

“Road traffic safety lies at the core of a wide range of business activities - for example maintaining an organisation's reputation, protecting income and revenue opportunity, managing business risk and conducting business responsibly through adherence to best practice road management standards.”

Jeanne Breen, Chair of the BSI road safety panel and UK delegate to the ISO technical committee which developed and drafted the standard, added: “This standard, if adopted widely, could make an important contribution to saving lives and preventing serious injuries.

“Many organisations already have policies and procedures in place aimed at managing the risk of death and serious injury due to road traffic crashes, however the introduction of a specific standard in this area will encourage a comprehensive, focused and evidence-based approach to be taken towards achieving road safety results.”

The standard is expected to have broad appeal to public and private organisations of all types and sizes but will be of particular interest to organisations operating fleets of vehicles, road constructors and maintainers and organisations that create demand for the road traffic such as retail organisations and public services.