A total of 120 fleets are helping to shape a long-term, yet-to-be-launched government occupational road risk management campaign in a major project being run by TRL (Transport Research Laboratory).

The focal point of the project is a work-related road safety CD ROM, which is being evaluated by a cross-section of 60 small, medium and large fleets collectively operating cars, vans, HGVs and motorcycles as part of a 12-month study, due to end in 2007. Meanwhile, a further 60 fleets, which have not had access to the CD ROM, are also being asked to assist in shaping the Department for Transport’s future strategy. These come from a cross-section of businesses operating in a variety of marketplaces, running a range of vehicles.

The mix of qualitative and quantitative research from the 120 companies will be analysed and then, with other research, used to form the DfT’s ultimate managing occupational road risk programme and campaign that is likely to be announced late next year or early in 2008. TRL’s project is being led by senior safety group researcher Britta Lang, who says it is not too late for fleet operators and health and safety managers interested in taking part in the research to contact her.

The work-related road safety CD ROM, which is not fully in the public domain and freely available, features:

• Comprehensive information and advice to help firms create and revise a work-related road safety strategy, including details on how to manage work-related road safety with information on compiling an overall policy statement, risk assessments for journeys, vehicles and drivers, minimising risk through control measures, proactive and reactive data recording and how to audit, communicate and review measures and findings.
• Case studies highlighting the financial savings that can be made by organisations with strategies in place.
• Court cases suffered by companies that have ignored work-related road safety best practice recommendations.
• Templates such as a pre-employment check list, incident recording form and a daily vehicle checklist.
• Useful links.

The CD ROM was finalised in spring this year and initially sent to 30 private and public organisations for evaluation. Ms Lang says: “This pilot evaluation was extremely successful so we have now moved into a larger and long-term evaluation phase because the DfT wants to measure the effectiveness of the CD ROM and the information contained within.”

All 120 organisations involved have completed a work-related road safety questionnaire. This looks at all aspects of their respective fleets and the occupational road risk systems they have in place. A similar questionnaire will then be completed in the second half of next year. Additionally, the 60 organisations that receive a copy of the CD ROM have also had a half-day visit from a TRL researcher to help them review and implement occupational road risk management systems. Similar visits will take place in 2007 – 12 months later – to identify what actions have been taken to improve at-work driving road safety. Also, managers and drivers will complete questionnaires designed to highlight their personal attitude towards occupational road safety and whether a safety culture exists in their respective workplaces.

Ms Lang says: “We will compare the responses from the organisations that have received the CD ROM and those that have not. By asking companies to complete a second questionnaire 12 months after the first we hope that we will be able to highlight improvements in managing occupational road risk strategies. “Similarly, due to a combination of the CD ROM, questionnaires and researcher visits, we hope to discover many improvements in occupational road risk strategies.” Ultimately, it is hoped that all the feedback which will be gathered and analysed throughout 2007 will prove to the DfT the effectiveness of the CD ROM and the potential for improving occupational road safety across organisations of all sizes, operating in diverse industry sectors and running a wide range of vehicles. The feedback will also highlight potential problem areas, such as how firms manage privately-owned cars driven on business.

“We have highlighted through the case studies on the CD ROM that managing occupational road risk actions can save companies money”

While it will be impossible and too expensive to distribute a managing work-related road safety CD ROM to every business across Britain it is expected that its content will appear on the DfT website as part of the government’s long-running Think! road safety campaign. Ms Lang says: “The CD ROM and the research we have undertaken in 2006 and will continue throughout 2007 is just one aspect that will shape the Department for Transport overall driving for work campaign.”

She adds: “It is too early to draw any representative conclusions, but we have had positive feedback from fleets in terms of the comprehensiveness of the strategy and the clear advice given. We have highlighted through the case studies on the CD ROM that managing occupational road risk actions can save companies money.”

To become involved in TRL’s research and evaluation programme, e-mail Britta Lang at blang@trl.co.uk

Work-related road safety CD ROM case studies

Arriva has 5,000 employees and operates a fleet of 1,450 buses that clock up 55 million miles a year. In 2004 Arriva buses in London were involved in 7,000 incidents ranging from slight vehicle scratches to fatalities. The average cost of a crash was £595. Driver research and an analysis of blackspots on the company’s 80 bus routes led to the compilation and distribution of a guide featuring the 20 most incident-prone routes being issued to all drivers, knowledge of which would also form part of their driving assessments. Accident numbers from 2004 to 2005 dropped by 10%, saving £350,000 so far. By the end of 2006 the scheme is expected to be in place on all 80 routes at a cost of £80,000.

Carillion has 18,000 UK employees and operates a mixed fleet of cars, vans and trucks that clock up about 1.3 million miles a year. In 2003 the company recorded 1,200 crashes, the repair cost of which was £1.65 million, the average incident cost was £900 and the average vehicle downtime was seven days. A comprehensive road safety strategy was implemented that included reducing journeys through the introduction of audio and video conferencing and car sharing. As a result the crash rate has been reduced by 18%; the cost of vehicle repairs has been reduced by £250,000 a year; the average incident cost has been reduced by £200 to £700; and average vehicle downtime has been cut to less than five days.

Corgi Gas has 250 employees and operates a fleet of 167 company cars that clock up 2.4 million miles a year. In 2002, the collision rate was 1:110,134 business miles with incidents ranging from dents and scratches to vehicle write-offs. A raft of remedial action, including the introduction of risk assessments and targeted driver training, alcohol advice seminars, limiting mileage for inspectors to 30,000 miles a year and working time to 11 hours a day including driving time, licence checking and eyesight checks, resulted in Corgi’s collision rate reducing by 17.4% to 1:133,333 miles and the organisation’s insurance claim rate decreasing by 23% from 1:85,000 miles to 1:104,838 miles.

BT has 70,000 employees in the UK and operates a fleet of 44,000 cars and vans clocking up around 610 million miles a year. During the 1990s the organisation highlighted driving as the highest risk activity carried out by staff. A comprehensive 14-point action plan included the introduction of on-line driver assessment, targeted driver training for high-risk drivers, manager training, an incident investigation and indexing system and a targeted monthly communications campaign. Over four years there was a 30% reduction in incidents, a 25% reduction in annual incident costs in two years, reduced employer’s liability insurance costs and the programme has been a major influence on “fleet calamity claims premium” and insurer relations.

Suckling Transport has 250 employees and operates a fleet of 110 fuel tankers clocking up around 11 million miles a year. In 2001, the company’s crash rate was 1:33,414 business miles with most incidents occurring in fuel stations and 50% being reversing manoeuvres. Driver assessments and personalised driver training, alongside the implementation of a crash management system and improved communication between managers and drivers, led to a 20% reduction in petrol station crashes by 2005. By last year the company had also achieved a fourfold reduction in the collision rate to 1:131,547, had increased turnover by £800,000 and saved £30,000 in crash costs.

Express Launderers employs 30 people and operates a small fleet of light goods vehicles and vans clocking up around one million miles a year. In 2005, two company car drivers caused accidents at roundabouts. This cost the company an average of £275 per incident in vehicle repairs and damage to third parties resulted in a £10,000 insurance payout for each incident. The crashes led to the company updating its driver handbook to include road safety information. The handbook costs were minimal and while the financial benefits of the measures are not yet tangible, their introduction is viewed as important in raising drivers’ awareness of the possible risks.

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