FOREWORD |
 Tony Spalding |
Every day of the year more than 150 vehicles being driven on company business are involved in a crash, according to latest government casualty data.
However, RoadSafe believes that such data, which was recorded by the police for the first time in 2005 and published by the Department for Transport earlier this year, is only the tip of the iceberg and, in reality, the 15% of vehicles involved in collisions and recorded as being “at work” is much higher.
But whatever the true picture, real-world evidence continues to appear from companies that shows that the implementation of comprehensive occupational road-risk policies pays handsome dividends time after time. RoadSafe is keen to support business “champions” who are prepared to carry the torch of managing occupational road risk and persuade other companies across every sphere of business to follow their lead. To that effect, RoadSafe will shortly be launching an outreach programme to support the champions as part of a major “Driving for Work” campaign to be launched early in 2007.
Helping with that initiative is TRL, whose on-going work with around 120 fleets, together with many similar schemes run by local authorities, is helping to formulate a campaign strategy based on the experience of many business leaders who have all seen massive financial spin-offs from taking action to curb at-work driving collisions.
As the long-awaited Road Safety Bill has now received Royal Assent and the corporate manslaughter and corporate homicide legislation embarks on its route through Parliament, the focus on reducing the number of crashes involving vehicles being driven for business remains uppermost in the minds of MPs.
Vehicle manufacturers and road engineers continue to introduce new features and initiatives to reduce both the risk of a collision and the likelihood of injury to all road users, but all too often it is the selfish attitude of the thoughtless minority behind the wheel who are to blame for crashes.
| “It is imperative that company directors encourage their at-work drivers to focus solely on getting to their destination safely” |
As we report in this issue of RoadSafe, “looked but not seen” is the most frequently-reported contributory factor to crashes. That phrase covers many areas, ranging from in-car or roadside distractions to using a mobile phone, so it is important that drivers are reminded of the importance of focusing 100% on the task in hand – driving.
It is, therefore, imperative that company directors encourage their at-work drivers to focus solely on getting to their destination safely. As we highlight throughout this issue of RoadSafe, the benefits to staff, customers and individual companies will be numerous and profitability and productivity will increase.
Tony Spalding
Chairman, RoadSafe
