In 2004, 3,221 people died in road accidents, down 287 or 8% on the figures from 2003, when 3,508 people were killed, There was a total of 280,840 road casualties, 3% less than in 2003. The reduction has come despite an estimated increase in road traffic of 2% in 2004. There were 207,410 road accidents involving personal injury in 2004, 3% less than 2003. Of these, 26,748 accidents involved death or serious injury. Road safety Minister Stephen Ladyman says: “The figures are very encouraging, with a substantial drop in the number of people who died on Britain’s roads. However, one year’s figures should not make anyone feel complacent. Nearly nine people a day still died in road accidents last year and that figure is still too high. “Britain has one of the best road safety records in the world and the government is committed to improving it further. ” RoadSafe director Adrian Walsh says: “We welcome this confirmation of a continued decline in casualties, which results from a huge effort by Government and many others to find new and innovative ways of reducing death and injury on our roads. “However, until the community as a whole accepts some measure of responsibility, people will continue to be killed and injured.”

The government has outlined a series of road casualty reduction targets that it wants to achieve by 2010:

• A 40% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents compared with the average for 1994-98
• A 50% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured
• A 10% reduction in the slight casualty rate, expressed as the number of people slightly injured per 100 million vehicle kilometres.
• Against these targets, the figures for casualties in 2004 indicate that:
• The number of people killed or seriously injured was 28% below the baseline
• The number of children killed or seriously injured was 43% below the baseline
• The provisional estimate of the rate of slight casualties per 100 million vehicle kilometres was 20% below the 1994-98 average.

New police checks on at-work drivers in accidents
New police checks are being made on drivers who have road accidents while at work following long-expected changes to the Stats19 forms, which police complete after crashes.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) says the decision to keep official records of the number of work-related road accidents is a major boost for the campaign to manage occupational road risk. It is now widely accepted that the most dangerous thing most people do while at work is to drive, but precise casualty figures have been unavailable until now. Charles Davis, RoSPA’s head of driver and fleet solutions, says: “This will give us accurate information about the number of work-related road accidents, and will also be yet another warning to employers and fleet managers about the responsibility they have in order to keep their drivers safe.” The first data from the Stats19 crash reporting forms relating to at-work crashes is expected to be published next year.

Mr Davis says: “We think this will prove once and for all that this is the biggest work-related safety issue facing the country. “If that is the case, serious consideration will have to be given to a Health and Safety at Work Act Approved Code of Practice on driving for work so that companies will understand they will face legal action if they don’t meet their responsibilities. More and more organisations are getting to grips with managing occupational road risk, but far too many still pay no heed to what their drivers are doing out on the road.”

“Britain has one of the best road safety records in the world and the government is committed to improving it further”

A BVRLA spokesman says that by publishing the guide, the organisation is working to prevent crashes from happening. “The guide is about both employers and employees taking a responsible attitude towards their own safety and the safety of other road users. It gives objective advice on safer drivers, safer vehicles and safer journeys,” he says. Copies of the guide, which contains vehicle selection, vehicle maintenance and employment check lists as well as a sample “bump card”, are available from the BVRLA on: 01494 434747 or by e-mail to: info@bvrla.co.uk

ACFO to launch the ultimate at-work driving self-help guide
The ultimate free self-help guide to producing a comprehensive occupational road risk health and safety strategy is to be launched by The Association of Car Fleet Operators (ACFO) later this year.

Duty of care in relation to at-work driving is currently the number one fleet issue and ACFO is keen to spread best practice policies industry-wide. As a result, the UK’s leading organisation representing car and van fleet operators has called for its more than 800 members to contribute examples of their at-work driving health and safety policies for use in a CD ROM. ACFO director Stewart Whyte, who is compiling the CD ROM, says: “We have contributions from fleets of all shapes and sizes and operating in diverse sectors of industry and business. This initiative is designed specifically to encourage more fleets to introduce robust policies to combat occupational road risk, or to strengthen and refresh existing policies.

“Many fleet decision-makers, particularly those new to the job or inexperienced, are frequently unsure as to the information a duty of care policy should contain or how to start writing one. The CD ROM will comprise real-world examples of existing policies that have been contributed by members of the organisation.” The CD ROM will feature a collection of documents in Word format. There will not be a single “recommended” policy template. “We cannot promote a ‘one-size- fits-all’ document, when the core principles of duty of care is local risk assessment and appropriate management of the risks identified. Every fleet has a different risk profile,” says Mr Whyte.

Fleet managers will be able to scan through all the examples on the disk, and note anything that could be utilised in their own policies. They can then cut and paste it into their own document, until what they have built is satisfactory for their own fleet. The CD ROM will be distributed free of charge to the entire ACFO membership. It will then be used to aid recruitment. Further details are available by e-mail at: info@acfo.org

Speed awareness courses could reduce insurance premiums
Speed awareness courses as an alternative to receiving penalty points could dramatically reduce insurance premiums for drivers caught speeding, it is claimed.

“Drivers committing a speeding offence in other areas have little choice but to accept the penalty points and accompanying fines”

The courses, which are already run by police forces in areas such as Humberside, Avon and Somerset, Lancashire and Thames Valley, have proved their effectiveness with fewer than one in 12 of the drivers taking part re-offending. However, there is no uniformity in the cost or content of the course and drivers committing a speeding offence in other areas have little choice but to accept the penalty points and accompanying fines. But the Road Safety Bill, which will shortly make its way through Parliament, proposes introducing speed awareness courses nationwide and the A & A Group, a specialist in offering cost-effective premiums for convicted drivers, welcomes the move.

The A & A Group says that a nationwide policy will keep more drivers on the road, thus reducing insurance premiums of those who have been caught speeding. More importantly, it will lead to a much lower rate of repeat offenders and mean that every driver is treated consistently, wherever they are in the country. Under the present system, which operates in areas running the scheme, drivers prosecuted for speeding are offered the option of taking part in a speed awareness course at a cost of £60; the cost of a fixed penalty. Drivers will only qualify for the course if they have exceeded the speed limit by 10% plus 2mph, which is based on the Association of Chief Police Officers’ level for enforcement.

Tony Allen, chief executive of the A & A Group, says: “There are currently 6,000 fixed and mobile camera sites in Britain. In 2003 alone, over 33,000 drivers were disqualified for reaching the 12-point limit. “Currently, over 40% of drivers now have points on their licence. Any measure, therefore, that can decrease the risk of repeat offending will keep some of these drivers on the road and, importantly, will show them where they were making mistakes before.

“In our experience, many drivers are caught by a speed camera as a result of a momentary lapse of concentration rather than being habitual offenders and it is important that such individuals are given every opportunity to keep as clean a licence as possible and so keep their insurance premiums at a minimum. “Insurance premiums can rise dramatically for drivers with six penalty points or more,” says Mr Allen. “The idea that drivers may now have the option to take part in a speed awareness course means that not only will they not accumulate points in the event of an offence, but intermediaries such as ourselves would be willing to take such a course into consideration as a further means of reducing their premium.”

Lex survey puts safety at top of fleet priority list
Health and safety issues are still the most important facing company fleet managers over the next 12 months, according to a survey by Lex Vehicle Leasing.

Over 200 fleet managers, responsible for running tens of thousands of vehicles, have put health and safety at the top of their priority list for the third year running. Lex Vehicle Leasing managing director Jon Walden says: “It’s really good that so many companies are taking the whole corporate liability subject so seriously.” “Let’s hope we never see the day when a company director is jailed for negligence around duty of care. “We have invested a great deal of time and effort in helping our customers, both at a company and driver level, to improve safety and we are pleased the message is hitting home.”

The second biggest issue facing fleet chiefs was identified as balancing the car choice list with cost-effective cars for the employer and tax-effective cars for drivers, followed by vehicle running costs and fuel prices. Sixth in the 10-strong lists of concerns was that related to speed cameras and fines for speeding.

Company car drivers breaking law with illegal tyres
Almost 30% of tyres removed from company cars have less than 1.6 mm of remaining tread and are therefore breaking the law, according to a fleet tyre survey conducted by Arval, the UK’s largest fleet and fuel management company.

“Many company car drivers are committing an offence, which could cost them a fine of up to £2,500”

The legal minimum tread depth for all tyres is 1.6 mm of remaining tread depth across the central three-quarters of the breath of the tread. The alarming survey statistics reveal that many company car drivers are committing an offence, which could cost them a fine of up to £2,500 and potentially three points on their licence per illegal tyre. Critically, drivers failing to regularly check their vehicles’ tyre pressure and tread are not only putting their safety, and that of other road users at risk, but may also increase the possibility of their employer falling foul of current health and safety legislation.

Under existing duty of care guidance from the Health and Safety Executive, all fleet operators should have a comprehensive safety policy for all vehicles used on company business. This policy should ensure that all drivers understand that they are responsible for carrying out regular safety checks on their vehicle and ensuring that any remedial work is undertaken immediately. There is also a clear duty of care to ensure all scheduled maintenance work is carried out in-line with manufacturer-defined intervals. Mike Waters, head of market analysis at Arval says: “It is essential that all fleet operators have a vehicle safety policy as part of their overall risk management procedures. This should advise all drivers of vehicles used for company business that they have a responsibility to check and maintain safety critical features. Tyre pressure maintenance is crucial to maintaining vehicle safety and extending tyre longevity.”

The Arval study reveals that poor driving style has the greatest affect on tyre wear. Other factors affecting tyre wear include climatic conditions, vehicle power, road surface and pressure. Low tyre pressure leads to abnormal heat build-up, which weakens tyre structure and seriously affects safety. A tyre running with 20% lower pressures (around 6psi in some cases) reduces the tyre run-out life by around 26%. Low pressures also contribute to rolling resistance and a reduction of 0.5 bar (8 psi) can lead to a 15% increase in rolling resistance, which can increase fuel consumption by up to 3%.

Arval’s driver tyre check says:

• Tyres should be set to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressures for driving
• Drivers should check pressures every two weeks or before a long journey
• Check pressures when the tyres are “cold” and never deflate “hot” tyres
• Check the tread for abnormal wear, cuts or deformation, trapped stones or nails
• On the sidewall, examine for bulges, cracking, cuts kerbing or impact damage

Formula One stars team up in race to save lives on the road
Ferrari Formula One stars Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello have teamed up in a race to save lives on the road.

At the Spanish Grand Prix launch of “Think Before You Drive”, a new global road safety campaign led by the FIA Foundation and Bridgestone Corporation, six-times Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher and his Ferrari team mate Rubens Barrichello formed an elite pit crew to demonstrate basic, potentially life-saving activities that all car users should follow every time they drive in a car:

• Always use a child restraint
• Always wear your seat belt
• Adjust your head restraint
• Check your tyre condition

RAC Software Solutions urges action on private car business use
RAC Software Solutions (RACSS) has warned that the impact of the government’s proposed corporate manslaughter legislation on the employers of five million UK people who use their private cars for company business are still being largely ignored.

“Nobody is speaking to those employers that have a significant number of staff using their own cars for business use”

Companies with employees using their own cars on business are responsible for ensuring that such vehicles are “fit for purpose” and need to record action taken to achieve this. If the company has not acted responsibly, its senior managers could be liable in the event of a serious accident involving staff. Aidan Rowsome, RACSS’s managing director, says: “Managers of larger fleets seem well aware of the issue, and the problems with companies with smaller fleets have been raised recently. “But nobody is speaking to those employers that have a significant number of staff using their own cars for business use. A lack of action from these employers puts their staff at greater risk of injury, and themselves at greater risk of legal action. With more employees opting out of company car schemes and using their own vehicles, the need for an awareness campaign among businesses about this is more pressing than ever.”

To fill the substantial gap that RACSS has identified, the company has launched ThinkTranman – an added-value advisory and fleet management software package to enable companies to comply with all relevant aspects of health and safety legislation for work-related driving. For £500, firms can use the package to monitor and record the actions they take with small fleets and/or staff driving their own car on business, showing that there has been no breach of the duty of care owed by the employer to their staff. The company has also urged the government to ensure that private owners are not forgotten when raising awareness of its new Corporate Manslaughter Bill now making its way through Parliament.

Rental company issues corporate manslaughter warning to SMEs
Britain’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are largely unaware of new regulations affecting staff travelling on business and, with corporate manslaughter legislation imminent, could put themselves at risk of prosecution if they fail to incorporate new rules into their everyday working practices.

That’s the view of Avis, the car rental giant, which believes that SMEs have not taken on board the Health and Safety Executive “Driving at Work” guidelines, the implications of which, it says, are set to become much more serious with the Corporate Manslaughter Bill. Many businesses are also unaware of the options open to them to minimise their exposure, says Avis.

The HSE guidelines extend the definition of “the workplace” to cars that the employee uses when driving on business, making the employer responsible for ensuring the health and safety of employees if five or more use their own car. Around five million people use their own cars on business in the UK. If employees use their own vehicles on business, the employer will have to be satisfied that the vehicle is road safe. If an employee was involved in a serious road accident whilst on company business, and the employer had not shown sufficient duty of care in ensuring that the vehicle was safe, the employer could be liable. With businesses either needing to look at bringing in procedures to ensure that employees’ cars are roadworthy, or to consider alternative transport policies so that employees do not use their own cars other than to get to and from work, Avis says car rental or the use of car clubs are both options for those not wanting to take on additional responsibilities.

If an employer rents cars for employee use, the responsibility for ensuring that the vehicle is fit for purpose rests solely with the rental company. Similarly, with car clubs, which see businesses pay an annual fee, and then have use of a car for short occasional trips, responsibility for safety rests with the organisation.

Businesses unconvinced by speed cameras, says LeasePlan research
Almost two thirds (66%) of companies that operate car fleets believe that speed cameras have succeeded in reducing the number of road accidents. However, 81% actually think that their main purpose is to generate revenue for the police.

In addition, just under 40% expressed concern over the increasing numbers of speed cameras around the UK. The LeasePlan survey quizzed 500 companies, all of whom operate car and van fleets. Kevin McNally, managing director of LeasePlan UK, says: “The view of the business community seems to be broadly in favour of speed cameras, although there are some concerns over the apparent proliferation of cameras. “It’s disappointing that cameras are thought of mainly as police money-makers, but perhaps that’s inevitable given the growth in the camera network and the adverse publicity over how many tickets are being issued. “Companies are seemingly in favour tighter controls on speeding. They need to also bear in mind that if drivers speed because of unrealistic work deadlines set by their employers, those businesses can be held legally responsible.”

US research turns road safety management into pro-active science
One of the biggest problems fleet, safety and HR managers have to contend with is their inability to predict with any certainty where there next crash is likely to happen.

But help is at hand as Interactive Driving Systems has made available its “Driver Indexing” module to clients in the UK and Europe, based on development and use in the United States in partnership with Zurich North America. Following extensive trials applying research published by the Transportation Research Board in the US over the last two years, where clients are already starting to enjoy the benefits of the system, crashes are being stopped before they happen. As part of Interactive Driving Systems’ Virtual Fleet Risk Manager, Driver Indexing integrates fleet data from various sources to develop an “index” of the most at risk drivers to the least-risk drivers in a client’s fleet.

Advanced users of Indexing, who wish to ensure the most accurate ability to predict the risk levels of their people, include behavioural data, risk assessment and training records, fuel efficiency data, crash and near-hit records, endorsement/violation data, customer feedback information and observed behavioural traits recorded by driver management. Other, less advanced users focus purely on crash types and severity. Using statistical modelling techniques, this data is integrated to provide every driver with an individual safety quotient that determines their place on the Index. Any data input on a driver automatically influences their rank on the Index on a live basis. Ed Dubens, Interactive Driving Systems’ group chief executive, says: “Indexing provides our clients with the last piece in the jigsaw – a total road safety management solution.

“For the first time, safety management can have all the data they really need in one system totally integrated to provide them with the information required at their fingertips immediately, not in three, six or 12 months time. “The Driver Indexing suite of tools then automates a whole series of functions for fleet, safety and HR managers to turn their whole road safety strategy around from waiting for a crash to happen to acting to prevent it. When budgets are tight, clients can plan with confidence who to spend their training budgets on.” The outcomes from the indexing process then feed into other modules of the Virtual Fleet Risk Manager to determine detailed training and intervention requirements.

Lex sees new safety legislation forcing cars for car policy review
Fleets are reviewing their approach to cash-for-car schemes on the back of the increased administration caused by all aspects of duty of care legislation, according to Lex Vehicle Leasing.

The company, which operates more than 120,000 vehicles in the UK, says it has seen a recent increase in the number of companies reviewing their approach to offering cash as an alternative to a company car, with some making the decision to switch back into more traditional company car schemes as the impact of safety regulations hits home and proves too much to administer. Whilst a properly constructed cash opt-out or cash-for-car scheme – such as an Employee Car Ownership Scheme – will provide the required adherence to health and safety legislation and contain many aspects of best practice, companies simply offering cash and allowing employees to look after themselves may fall foul of the law (RoadSafe: winter 2004/05). In implementing a review, company directors are saying that a more structured company car policy, incorporating best practice processes and guidelines for all employees driving on company business, including cash opt-outs, is easier to manage. Lex Vehicle Leasing business development manager Richard Parker says: “Pressure within the fleet industry about safety has raised many directors’ awareness of their duty to driver safety.”

“A fifth of motorists have been so distracted when fiddling with an instrument in their car's cockpit that they veered out of lane”

Fiddle fingers lead to driver danger
In-car gadgets are responsible for almost half a million drivers having a road accident, according to research by Privilege Insurance.

From CD players to sunroofs, 45% of drivers say they have lost concentration after being distracted by accessories, and 600,000 drivers admit they have had near misses as a result. A fifth of motorists have been so distracted when fiddling with an instrument in their car’s “cockpit” that they veered out of lane. Of these, 5% have lost control of the vehicle, 3% have veered right off the road and 3% have crashed. Among all drivers, a quarter have been distracted while changing a CD or tape, 14% while altering the music volume, 9% while cleaning the windscreen, 9% when adjusting the heating, and 1% when altering a satellite navigation system. Answering a mobile phone without a hands-free kit accounted for 5% of total driver distractions, and for 4% of those who had veered out of lane.Almost four in 10 drivers say they avoid using any gadget which isn’t essential to the smooth running of their car, and four in 10 go as far as calling on manufacturers to limit the growth of car-gadget culture.

VELO introduces easy access fleet health and safety programme
Fleet specialist VELO has launched what it believes to be the most comprehensive fleet safety package available in the UK.

The Marlow-based company has teamed up with a series of specialist industry providers to offer organisations running fleets simple access to a complete suite of health and safety-related solutions through a single channel. Known as SafetyNet, the programme builds on VELO’s already established in-house risk management expertise. Designed to afford maximum flexibility, SafetyNet allows fleets to select from a portfolio of health and safety-related products, as appropriate to identified needs, ranging from basic policy formulation, communication and monitoring through to the application of specialist product solutions, such as data capture, driver training and telematics.

Tony Johnston, VELO sales and marketing director, says that the programme “has been constructed to help fleets not only to identify areas of weakness and potential risk, but ,additionally, plug any gaps through the provision of turnkey solutions”. Mr Johnston believes that whilst many employers take their health and safety responsibilities seriously, experience has shown even the most diligent have some breaches in their defences. At the other end of the spectrum, he says: “There are still many companies that either have only elementary procedures or are totally unaware of the need for effective health and safety measures. Worse still, there are others that are totally dismissive of the matter. “The government’s release of the long-awaited Corporate Manslaughter Bill will escalate health and safety to the top of the fleet agenda. Once this happens, companies will have no excuse and no escape should a fatal incident occur and their processes and procedures found to be wanting.” A core element of the SafetyNet programme is analysis of fleets’ existing practices and assisting them to build robust policies and processes that ensure compliance with health and safety requirements.

Mr Johnston says: “There is still, in some cases, a knowledge gap of not only what constitutes the basics of a company car policy, but also the manner in which it is communicated, enforced and verified. “There is a danger that companies may think, just because they have drawn up rules and regulations, that they are safe. Unless they can prove that these are being adhered to by staff and able to substantiate the fact, they are at risk. One of the key mechanics of the SafetyNet programme is the facility for employees to constantly confirm compliance.” In addition to policy counselling and compliance fulfilment, SafetyNet also encompasses incident analysis, driver training and automated mileage capture through both off-board and on-board systems.

High profile campaigns fail to curb drink-driving
Anti drink-driving messages are failing to hit home as the nation’s drivers are still taking to the roads after drinking over the legal limit.

A survey of almost 2,000 people on behalf of Privilege Insurance indicated that 23% of drivers claim to drive after drinking above the legal limit. This indicates that, nationally, over seven million Brits could be regularly taking the wheel under the influence of alcohol and one in 10 (12%) plan to hit the roads this summer. One in 20 (4%) admit they have driven after drinking over 10 units of alcohol – which equates to over five pints of beer. Personal comfort beats safety it seems, when it comes to drink driving. An eighth (12%) of drivers quizzed by Privilege prefer to drink and drive their own cars than take public transport and one in 10 drive as it is cheaper than taking a taxi.

Worryingly, says Privilege, 12% still consider themselves to be safe drivers, even if they’ve had a drink. Ian Parker, managing director of Privilege Insurance, says: “Drink-driving is still a serious problem in the UK. Many drivers don’t realise the danger of driving under the influence of alcohol – even one pint of beer can lead to impaired judgement on the roads and motor accidents. We urge drivers to consider alternative methods of transport home if they have been drinking. Although they may feel that they are able to control a car, drinking can produce slower reaction times, loss of concentration, loss of spatial awareness and blurry vision.”

Highways Agency introduces safer signs to help protect motorists
The Highways Agency is working to make its roads even safer with the introduction of new flexible motorway signs.

The Agency’s large roadside signs are essential for providing people with journey and road condition information. But a collision with a road sign can cause serious injury to drivers and their passengers as well as significant damage to vehicles. Although the signs are usually protected by safety fences, the Highways Agency has been investigating how to lessen the impact on people and vehicles when there is a collision. A new style of sign, which bends or breaks when it is hit, is being introduced across the Agency’s network of motorways and trunk roads. Known as Passive Safe Signposts, the new additions have been extensively safety tested at high and low speeds and the results showed they caused less damage to vehicles than safety barriers and help protect passengers from serious injuries.

Ginny Clarke, the Highways Agency’s director of safety standards and research directorate, says: “The Highways Agency is committed to providing safer roads and more reliable journeys. Recent tests show new Passive Safe Signposts are a safer signpost that causes less damage to vehicles and their passengers on impact. “The signs are being increasingly used nationally as a replacement when damage occurs to existing ones. Passive Safe Signposts are being encouraged as the preferred choice for a replacement sign. We are currently looking at extending this initiative and looking to use passively safe lighting columns and traffic signals as well as the signposts.”

“If technology exists to reduce speeds on motorways at certain times, then it ought to be possible to raise speeds when it is suitable”

The motoring organisation says the 80mph limit would still need to be “vigorously” enforced. AA Motoring Trust director Bert Morris says: “The current 70mph limit on motorways works well and should not be altered. However, on motorways where there are variable speed signs, a limit of 80mph should be introduced when traffic flow and road conditions permit. “If technology exists to reduce speeds on motorways at certain times, then it ought to be possible to raise speeds when it is suitable to do so.” However, Mary Williams, the chief executive of road safety charity Brake, says: “The proposal to raise the limit on motorways is irresponsible and flies in the face of road safety advice and convincing evidence from the US and elsewhere that raising limits increases casualties. We should be prioritising better enforcement to make our motorways safe, not making them more dangerous.” But Paul Watters, the AA Motoring Trust’s head of road policy, dismissed fears that the proposal would make roads more hazardous. He says: “The changes described would improve safety. Many accidents stem from the different speeds adopted by drivers, which can vary between 70mph and 90mph. Our proposal recognises what happens at the moment, while trying to get better compliance by using speed cameras.”

Pedestrians and drivers battle it out to be King of the Road
Dangerous road safety attitudes are causing havoc on the UK’s busy roads as pedestrians flout the green cross code, causing motorists to swerve and stop suddenly.

“Research reveals close to half of pedestrians don't use designated crossings if it means deviating from their direct route”

Research from Direct Line reveals that pedestrians have an appalling attitude to road safety – with more than three-quarters ignoring designated road crossings in favour of weaving through queuing traffic or darting across the road when a space appears between cars. And worryingly, more than one in 10 also put their lives at risk by stepping in front of moving cars anticipating that drivers will have to stop. The research also revealed that Britain’s drinking culture is causing problems, meaning motorists need to be extra vigilant and on the look out for drunken pedestrians. While under the influence of alcohol, a quarter of UK adults cross roads without first checking for oncoming cars. Men are the worse offenders, with a third (33%) agreeing that bravado takes over when using the road after drinking.

According to the research, this cavalier approach to road safety has seen pedestrians cause 1,994,180 accidents at a cost of more than £335m to the UK’s 33.2 million motorists. More than 80% of motorists have been forced to stop suddenly to avoid a collision with a person on foot. A Direct Line spokeswoman says: “Such negligent road use is very worrying. Pedestrians need to be more responsible as this kind of behaviour causes accidents. “Modern-day gadgets such as mobile phones and portable music players are adding fuel to the problem as many pedestrians are distracted by such devices and are not noticing on-coming vehicles.”

The problem has caused angry attitudes among drivers, with two thirds in favour of formal penalties for dangerous pedestrians. However, it appears pedestrians feel the same way about motorists as more than three quarters have been upset by domineering drivers. The spokeswoman adds: “There is fault on both sides – our research reveals close to half of pedestrians don’t use designated crossings if it means deviating from their direct route. Similarly, half of people on foot say drivers just ignore pedestrian crossing lights anyway. All road users need to exercise more caution and make safety a priority.”

RAC Foundation calls for new methods to cut road carnage
The RAC Foundation has called on the government to explore new and innovative methods of cutting death and injury on Britain’s roads in the light of a Europe-wide survey which showed UK drivers as responsible and mostly law-abiding citizens

UK drivers are less likely to enjoy driving fast, less likely to have had a speeding ticket and less likely to have made a mobile call from their car than most of their continental neighbours, according to European research highlighted by the Foundation. They also believe strongly in the need for seatbelts and estimate that their own driving is only slightly safer than the European average – in spite of the fact that the UK, along with Sweden, actually has the best road safety record across the continent. This picture, says the Foundation, is at odds with the one that is frequently presented and has prompted the Foundation to question some of the road safety tactics currently used in the UK.

The SARTRE 3 (Social Attitudes to Road Traffic Risk in Europe) study was carried out among 1,000 drivers in each of 23 countries across Europe. It showed that:

• 29% of UK drivers admit that they like to drive fast. The only nationalities less likely to find speed appealing are the Irish (18%) and Croats and Finns (both 26%). The European average is 36% and the largest proportion of drivers to admit to a penchant for fast travel are Germans and Swedes (both 43%), Cypriots (44%) and Poles at 45%
• 9% of drivers were penalised for speeding in the UK between 2001–2004. The European average is 18%, with the Netherlands highest at 46%. Only France is lower than the UK, with 8% of drivers incurring a speeding ticket
• Drivers in the UK are fairly convinced of the need to wear a seatbelt. Only 11% say that wearing a seatbelt is not necessary if they drive carefully. This is lower than the European average of 19% – with the Cypriots the most sure of their driving skills – 34% reckon they don’t need a seatbelt as long as they drive carefully
• 66% of UK motorists reckon they are less dangerous drivers than most of their European counterparts. This compares to an average of 63%. The three nationalities most convinced of their driving capabilities are those from Italy (77%), Ireland (74%) and Portugal (73%) – all countries with substantially higher casualty rates than the UK
• Apart from the French, UK drivers admit to making fewer telephone calls while driving than any other European motorists. 14% of UK drivers say they make at least one telephone call per day while driving. This compares to an average of 28%. The biggest telephone users are the Italians (44%), the Estonians (45%) and the Cypriots (46%)
• Drivers in the UK are less likely to be breathalysed than almost all of their European neighbours. Less than one in ten UK drivers have been checked for alcohol over the past three years. This compares to a European average of 26% who have been breathalysed and more than six out of every 10 drivers in Finland. Only the Irish Republic at 7% of drivers to be breathalysed and Italy at 4% were lower

Sue Nicholson, head of campaigns for the RAC Foundation, says: “Rising road deaths, an increase in drink driving and growing dissatisfaction among motorists with speed camera policy means, however, that we now need to look at some more radical solutions on how we cut our casualty rate even further. “Putting all the road safety eggs in one speed camera box just isn’t thinking flexibly enough. It’s time to stop criminalising drivers and use more effective methods.”

Now the Foundation is suggesting a re-think on the traditional four E’s of road safety and is calling for:

Education

Insufficient importance is given to the education of road users, especially during their formative years. The introduction of a “road safety” module into the national curriculum could improve road safety.

• Re-training should be offered as an alternative to, or part of, criminal proceedings or sentence for some motoring offences, depending on the nature or circumstances of the individual offence
• Motoring penalties should be supplemented with courses to re-educate drivers
• As well as re-training, the RAC Foundation feels that the range of penalties for motoring offenders should be increased in scope to include community service orders
• Education and advice to reduce the likelihood of repeat offending once they are allowed back on the road

Enforcement

• There should be a review of the role of speed camera partnerships and more work done on causes of accidents
• More police traffic officers and better use of intelligence to target their efforts to provide both a visible deterrent and a rapid response to the most dangerous motoring offenders. The Association of Chief Police Officers has previously admitted that traffic police numbers dropped by 11% in England and Wales between 1996-2001 and justified the fall on the grounds that greater use of cameras compensated for the loss of police numbers
• A review of speed limits should be undertaken to ensure that they are appropriate for the type of road, along with more flexible speed limits relating to time of day or conditions, with perhaps an increase in the motorway speed limit
• The use of technology, such as alcohol ignition interlocks devices, to prevent drinkers from driving
• Roadside evidential breath tests

Engineering

• Although good road design, construction and maintenance will not prevent an unsafe driver from a collision, high quality roads can improve safety
• Good, clear and visible signing and effective lighting are essential for the safety of all road users

Encouragement

• More incentives for post-test training

“Drivers in the UK are less likely to be breathalysed than almost all of their European neighbours”

The 70th anniversary of the national driving test was earlier this year, and Privilege tested the knowledge of over 1,500 drivers based on the theory driving test and the Highway Code. Less than 1% of drivers got all 19 answers correct. Asked if they thought they would pass their test if they sat it today, a third of drivers quizzed felt they wouldn’t.

The test results give cause for concern for the safety of Britain’s motorists, says Privilege, as:

• Over 80% of drivers didn’t know the stopping distance for a car travelling at 70 mph in wet conditions (about 200 metres)
• 82% didn’t know that it is the passenger’s responsibility to wear a seatbelt if they are over 14
• 60% didn’t know that your headlights must be used when visibility is reduced to 100 metres
• 58% didn’t know that you must be able to read a number plate from 20 metres to pass the test
• 43% didn’t know that green cats eyes indicate the edge of the road at lay-bys, side roads and junctions
• 23% believed you can overtake on the inside lane of a motorway

Ian Parker, managing director of Privilege Insurance, says: “From our research, it would appear that very few drivers would pass the theory element of today’s test. “Rules of the road are there to keep drivers and other road users safe and we urge anyone who feels they lack this essential knowledge to brush up on the Highway Code.”

FTA and IAM Fleet launch driving at work CD ROM
The Freight Transport Association in association with IAM Fleet has introduced a Driving at Work risk assessment CD ROM, which provides organisations with an easy-to-use programme for use by anyone whose work usually involves driving.

Under guidance issued in 2003 by the Health and Safety Executive and Department for Transport employers are required to carry out risk assessments of all employees who drive as part of their employment. The new driving at work CD ROM has been specifically designed to help companies examine the risks that their drivers are exposed to and offer guidance and solutions on how to manage the risks.

Companies can also add any other risk reduction methods specific to the organisation. The CD ROM can be used to perform any number of generic, individual or job-specific risk assessments. The driving at work risk assessment CD ROM costs £50 plus VAT. To find out more, visit: www.fta.co.uk, e-mail: enquiries@iamfleet.com or call: 0845 3108311.

Skills for Logistics launches NVQ for commercial vehicle drivers
A new level 2 NVQ for commercial vehicle drivers, the first of its kind, has been launched by Skills for Logistics.

The industry body, which has the backing of more than 100 freight transport businesses in the UK, says the vocational qualification – dubbed “Carry & Deliver Goods” – addressed a range of skills required of light van drivers, including customer service, delivery routes and journey timing. Skills for Logistics chief executive Ian Hetherington says there are just under two million light vans on the road, making it a crucial sector for the UK economy. He adds: “It is critical that we challenge and dispel the myth of the white van man.

It has become a very unfair tag, underestimating the actual skills involved.” Skills for Logistics says there had been strong demand for the qualification, which is the equivalent of a GCSE, and that over 100 candidates have signed up. John Bowman, director of policy at Skills for Logistics, says that as well as tackling bad habits, the qualification could help boost recruitment into the industry. He says: “The overall strategy is about trying to add professionalism to the job of driving job. It’s all about trying to demonstrate the breadth of the job.” Hopes are high that employers will eventually opt to hire qualified drivers over those without formal skills, which in turn would weed out problem drivers in the long term. Skills for Logistics is part of the Skills for Business Network, and is supported by a variety of trade bodies, including the Transport and General Workers Union and the Road Haulage Association.

RoSPA launches road safety guide for councillors
A new guide to help local authority elected members to tackle road safety issues has been published by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

The guide aims to provide the answers that councillors throughout the UK need to promote road safety as well as help their constituents. Road Safety: An Elected Member’s Guide has been produced with funding from the Department for Transport and also draws on the knowledge of the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Institute of Road Safety Officers, the Institution of Highways and Transportation, the Local Authority Road Safety Officers’ Association and the Scottish Road Safety Campaign. Linda Morrison Allsopp, road safety project manager for RoSPA, says: “Every elected member of a local authority in the UK is likely to have to deal with road safety issues.

“But, understandably, many will have little road safety expertise and may be unaware of the full scale of the problem and what can be done about it. “The guide gives information to councillors about how they can improve road safety in their area and also about their council’s statutory duties. It should be useful to all local authority members, no matter how much involvement they have with road safety.” The guide aims to ensure councillors are familiar with the value of road safety to their community when faced with making tough financial decisions. The guide stresses their important role in spreading the road safety message to constituents and also in making officers aware of the needs of their constituents. Issues such as road safety education, training and publicity are considered as well as engineering measures, maintenance and the need for accurate accident data. The guide has been circulated to all local authorities in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and copies can be obtained free of charge from RoSPA’s road safety department.

It can also be downloaded from the Society’s website at: www.rospa.com/roadsafety/info/ElectedMembersGuide.pdf

“In-cab camera” wins backing from IAM Fleet
IAM Fleet, the commercial training division of the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), is endorsing DriveCam, a revolutionary new driver behaviour management system designed to improve driver performance and reduce fleet running costs.

The DriveCam system integrates video technology and management software, which allows fleet managers to identify and remedy dangerous driving behaviour through driver-training. DriveCam works by collecting high-risk driving “events” on a palm-sized colour video recorder mounted behind a vehicle’s rear view mirror. The recorder captures what the driver sees and hears, inside and outside the vehicle. When a triggering event occurs – such as an accident or harsh acceleration, braking or turning – images and sounds are automatically recorded. Any events that have been captured by DriveCam are then downloaded on to a computer, allowing fleet managers to review an individual driver’s performance, and take remedial measures where required. As DriveCam constantly records into a digital memory, it is able to capture activity 10 seconds before and after an event, showing not only what happened, but why it happened.

Such information can also be used as evidence in the settlement of insurance claims. DriveCam is already being used in more than 20,000 commercial vehicles in the US, including fleets operated by utilities, public transport and logistics organisations, and by over 200 ambulance operators. The results generated by the system, combined with driver training, have proved to have reduced the frequency and severity of accidents by between 30% and 50%. Mark Edwards, IAM Fleet’s head of training says: “DriveCam accurately monitors driver behaviour, can help to identify drivers who require some form of training intervention, and can reduce accidents by up to 50%. As part of a driving risk management programme, we would recommend this system to fleet managers seeking tangible evidence of driver behaviour to help reduce occupational road risk.”

MoT industry calls for safety-related test fee changes
The MoT Trade Forum, an affiliation of leading garage industry groups, has called on the Department for Transport to act on the MoT test fee structure in the interest of road safety, test quality and to reward conscientious motorists who maintain their vehicles in good roadworthy condition.

They want amendments to the MoT structure to introduce a reduced but mandatory fee and a new scale of re-test charges. The Forum’s membership includes the vast majority of trade bodies and other organisations representing the interests of the country’s 19,500 MoT testing stations. Under the proposals, a complete overhaul of the MoT test fee structure would both reward motorists who keep their vehicles in good condition and encourage those who are running badly-maintained and potentially dangerous vehicles to improve their maintenance standards.

Based on extensive surveys amongst motorists conducted both by Forum members themselves, and by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, the government agency responsible for the MoT scheme, the MoT trade feels that the proposals will result in widespread benefits in terms of road safety, improving MoT test quality and consistency and the ability of the industry to develop and train quality MoT testing staff into the future. A discount off the current fee for the 65% of motorists whose cars pass the MoT first time will ensure a fairer MoT testing regime. Jim Punter, MoT Trade Forum chairman, says: “The Forum feels that this initiative will not only improve the quality of MoT testing, but will also serve to improve road safety and environmental standards too, as vehicle emission testing is an important aspect of the MoT test.”

MEP criticises new drivers’ hours regulations
New EU regulations limiting how long British truckers and bus drivers can work will impose yet more red tape and an estimated £1bn of costs on businesses, according to Conservative MEP Philip Bradbourn.

Mr Bradbourn, the Conservative transport spokesman in the European Parliament, says that under the Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations, which became law in April, commercial drivers and crews of HGVs and Public Service Vehicles must not exceed an average 48-hour working week. Mr Bradbourn, MEP for the West Midlands region, says: “This new regulation is just the tip of the iceberg. A further regulation currently going through the European Parliament, the Social Regulation of Road Transport, will impose even stricter restrictions on commercial drivers or bus and coach drivers in Britain. “This proposed legislation covers express and courier services, which could well mark the end for ‘just in time’ delivery services. “Furthermore, bus drivers will be forced to take a mandatory 45-hour break after every five days of driving.

“This means that small bus companies which are operating in largely rural areas will be unable to find enough drivers to maintain their existing services because, usually, part-time drivers will be prevented from driving. “If this legislation is enacted I fear that essential late night and weekend rural bus services will be scrapped. “The UK government has welcomed the Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations as a victory for road safety. But we already have one of the safest road transport systems in Europe. “This legislation has nothing to do with road safety,” Mr Bradbourn continues. “It is actually all about trying to curtail the use of road transport and it is profoundly anti-business.

“Business owners and people living in isolated rural areas will be hit especially hard.”

• See legislation page 117

Yokohama unveils first tyre-to-road ESP interface system
The days of stability control systems could be numbered due to a new intelligent Electronic Stability Program (ESP) from tyre manufacturer Yokohama.

The system puts the ESP sensor on to the wheel rim, meaning that the device takes its measurement directly from the tyre, and therefore will only function when a driver really needs it – when the tyre’s lost grip – and will not impede progress prematurely like some of today’s systems do. As the wheel rotates, data from each sensor is processed and transmitted back to the ABS/ESP control unit where it is able to determine dry, wet or icy conditions – a direct link that eliminates the conventional signal route through tyre, suspension, bush and body yaw/G sensor.

Such a design means real-time date is fed to the ECU instead of the slight delay typical of current systems. As a result, working prototypes have demonstrated that significantly shorter stopping distances can be achieved with the Intelligent TPMS. It is envisaged that the use of this technology will eliminate “excessive” intervention from stability and traction control systems giving the keen driver the opportunity to stay within safe limits but that much closer to the true limits of the vehicle. Intelligent TPMS could be commercially available within three years, but not from Yokohama, which will retain its focus on tyres.

Unreported crashes hit all-time high
The true number of British road crashes is severely underestimated, with almost a quarter (24%) of current drivers admitting letting an accident go unreported to the police or insurance company in the last year, according to research by Privilege Insurance.

“If we are to reduce the significant social and economic impacts of road traffic fatalities, then everyone must take them much more seriously”

The findings suggest that over the last five years, an estimated 10 million – mainly minor – accidents have gone unreported by drivers. In the first annual Privilege Insurance British Accident Survey, 38% of drivers said they had been involved in a motoring incident of some form in 2004, compared to the 13% recorded in official government figures. The majority of 2004’s “hidden accidents” were minor incidents with 47% occurring while a vehicle was car parked, such as losing a wing mirror (experienced by 11% of those drivers who failed to report such incidents) or smashing a light (4%). However, in some cases, severe accidents, which involved a car being written off (3% of current drivers didn’t report incidences) or even a person being slightly injured (2%) went unreported.

Even when minor damage is incurred, a quarter of current drivers who only experienced minor damage in 2004 spent money fixing the problem and 2% had to take time off work to sort out repairs. Of those failing to report an accident to the police in 2004, 71% said it was because they didn’t feel it was a serious enough matter, while a quarter felt they didn’t have to as no-one was hurt. For a significant minority (2%), it was the shame or embarrassment of having had an accident that prevented them from informing the police. Ian Parker, managing director of Privilege Insurance, says: “The research paints a worrying picture of accidents involving Britain’s vehicles, where minor accidents and incidents are viewed by drivers as too insignificant to report. We hope that by undertaking this research annually, and highlighting the results, we will be able to provide advice to help road users avoid common incidents and reduce the real number of accidents on Britain’s roads.

“We acknowledge that some drivers didn’t report accidents because they wanted to protect their no-claims discount. But many insurers, including Privilege, offer a no-claims discount protection, which means suffering a minor incident needn’t affect a premium.” Privilege’s five top tips to help drivers avoid minor accidents:

• Drive slowly and keep within the speed limit
• Always use indicators, even when driving slowly, such as in car parks
• Avoid reversing out of parking spaces and look carefully
• When parallel parking, err on the side of caution and judge your position visually
• When night-time parking, face your car with the direction of traffic flow, unless in a specified parking space.

Auto companies aim reduce road casualties in developing countries
Seven of the world’s largest auto and oil companies have formed a collaborative five-year, $10m project to reduce road traffic fatalities in developing countries.

The World Health Organization projects that road traffic incidents will become the third leading cause of injury/disease globally by 2020. Unless steps are taken to improve road traffic safety, fatalities and injuries are forecast to increase by 65% from 1.2 million deaths and 50 million injuries globally today. The initiative is being implemented by the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP), hosted by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and will focus on key road safety themes, such as pedestrian safety and safety belt use, the training of road safety professionals in developing countries, and provision of money to support pilot programmes to improve road safety in these countries.

Participating companies will also contribute expertise and linkages with governments and the community in the selected countries. Companies supporting this project include: Shell, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Michelin, Renault, and Toyota. GRSP chief executive David Silcock says: “We are delighted to work with these companies to help build the capacity of developing countries to reduce traffic fatalities. This initiative builds on and expands our capability to deliver road safety improvements.” James D Wolfensohn, president of the World Bank, whose institution is a strong supporter of road safety and one of the founding members as GRSP, says: “Road safety is a very important development challenge; one that is often overlooked, and which disproportionately impacts the poor.

“If we are to reduce the very significant social and economic impacts of road traffic fatalities and injuries, then everyone must take them much more seriously and take preventative efforts accordingly. We welcome the much stronger engagement of leading multinationals. It will hopefully encourage governments and others in the Partnership to also step forward and do more to address the problem.”