Despite all the publicity over the last decade about speeding and the introduction of 20mph zones, recent figures published by the Ministry of Justice show that during the same period speeding is still the biggest motoring-related offence where the defendant is found guilty in court.
Society during the last decade has changed and the demand for “everything now and not to have to wait until tomorrow” could well be a factor in the figures. So, is the need for “everything now” worth the potential additional catastrophic risk?
Speeding is a very serious issue but unfortunately a lot of drivers and companies do not see it this way. Many companies do not manage this issue robustly enough and do not worry about the serious consequences to other road users, their employees or their business until it is too late. This is regardless of whether their employees are using company vehicles or their own private vehicles.
Recent figures released show there has been a massive increase in the last 12 months alone. There has been a 28% increase in those found guilty of speeding rising from 115,935 to 148,426 and figures are at the highest since 2005.
Every company that uses vehicles as part of its day to day duties needs to have a Work Related Road Risk Policy that clearly states the company’s position on this issue, for every employee. They need to clearly show how they monitor and manage their policy as well as what remedial action is taken against employees who fail to adhere to the rules.
Unfortunately, finding out that one of your employees has been caught for speeding could be far too late if you do not have any measures in place to monitor this issue. Sometimes the only outcome for the employee is dismissal. Therefore, how do you stop this from happening? The best thing is to have a ‘zero tolerance to speeding’ within your Work Related Road Risk Policy. The only way to know exactly how fast your employees drive is by fitting all vehicles with trackers/telematics. The information obtained needs to be monitored and remedial actions taken when an offence comes to light.
According to the government’s THINK! campaign, speed is “one of the main factors in fatal road accidents”. In 2013, there were 3,064 people killed or seriously injured in crashes where speed was a factor.
In the same set of figures released by the Ministry of Justice, in the last decade there have been considerable reductions in the figures for offences relating to insurance-related crimes, drink driving, vehicle registration and excise duty offences.
It is clear that speed is not seen as a serious offence by many road users and companies who run vehicle fleets. However, the consequences can be catastrophic and can lead to corporate manslaughter charges. Companies have a Corporate Social Responsibility and need to start dealing with this problem immediately.
Re-education of all vehicle drivers and management is by far the best way forward. They should look to use the services of professional road safety specialists to deliver practical on the road and classroom-based training sessions to analyse each individual’s risk and implement recommendations for change where necessary. Some of the sessions can be graphic and hard-hitting but everyone needs to understand the potential consequences of their actions if they continue to speed.
There are many providers who can deliver these services such as fleet risk management companies; driver trainers; the police and the safety charity Brake. All sessions can be tailor-made to suit an organisation’s individual needs.
3Sixty Fleet provides independent fleet risk management solutions which have been specifically designed to assist the industry to change the way in which it deals with fleet risk management. If you want to know about what they can do for you then contact us on 0345 388 3883 or Andrew Drewary on 07817 043821 or andy@3-sixtysolutions.co.uk
Andrew Drewary is Consultant Collision Analyst for 3Sixty Fleet (www.3-sixtysolutions.co.uk) based in Manchester.
This week is National Road Safety Week and there’s no doubt we all need to play our part in promoting safety on the roads. The wearing of high visibility clothing is vital for those working in the transport industry or on the roads, as well as in transport yards, on construction sites and in warehouses and factories, to ensure they can be seen and remain safe.
Fhoss high visibility clothing products, which are not just reflective but also self-illuminating, have an important role to play in improving visibility and safety in working environments. The patented prismatic tape deployed behind traditional reflective tape delivers maximum visibility under all conditions and in all weather, with unrivalled performance in both daylight and dark conditions. Our high quality products comply with top industry standards, with a dedicated focus to cater to the evolving needs of any organisation with workers operating at night.
Fhoss Technology’s high visibility clothing has earned Frost & Sullivan’s 2015 New Product Innovation Award. A selection of our products are available from FTA's shop.
It’s that time of year again, when the rumours that we are in for the coldest winter in a century, a decade or even a millennium begin to fly around. This year, predictions have ranged from apocalyptic snowstorms (thanks to the early arrival of a migratory swan at a nature reserve) to the hottest winter ever, thanks to the highest ever recorded November temperatures.
Nonetheless, we are all aware that winter is nearly here and the colder weather will bring its own set of challenges for the fleet manager, who needs to be prepared for every eventuality.
As a fleet manager it is your duty to make certain that both your vehicles and drivers are prepared for winter. For most drivers it has been almost eight months since they last experienced winter conditions and as such may not be entirely used to the reduced visibility and slippery roads that they may have to contend with. It is therefore vital that drivers are reminded to maintain a safe distance when following another vehicle and that they are aware of the possibility of diminished traction and vehicle control.
Poor weather conditions adversely affect road conditions and generally mean that the number of vehicle breakdowns and accidents will more than double throughout the winter months. To prevent this unwanted downtime and cost it is vital to ensure your fleet’s vehicles are properly equipped and prepared for the challenging winter conditions, and are checked to ensure any minor faults are corrected before they become more serious.
One easy way of ensuring this is getting a vehicle health check from technicians who are experts in safety. As a member of the FTA’s Van Excellence programme, we appreciate just how important it is we do this with our own fleet – and as a business we are committed to raising the standards of vehicle condition, safe working, driver licensing, driver behaviour, compliance and training.
With that in mind, we offer a 20-point check for cars and vans to ensure your vehicles are in the best condition possible before heading out on the road. On top of checking the vehicle’s tyres, this covers fluid levels, a primary brake check, battery, exhaust, shock absorbers, oil, lights, windscreen wipers and screen wash. It sounds simple, but this kind of safety inspection is a cost-effective way of preventing weather-related vehicle downtime. You can also be sure this work is carried out in the safest way possible thanks to our RoSPA Gold accreditation – we’re the only national tyre specialist to hold this accolade.
Tyres play such a critical role in a fleet’s safety and performance that they deserve to be serviced and managed by experts. ATS Euromaster’s mobile service network means that fleet tyre inspections and maintenance for all types of vehicles can be carried out at the customer’s depot. What’s more, our SAFEContractor and the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS) accreditation, means you can be assured that the work will be carried out in accordance with the highest standards for health and safety.
Winter always places increased challenges for the safety of fleet vehicles. However, by following a few simple steps, it’s possible to help ensure that you and your employees enjoy a safe and productive winter.
Stan Rudowski is the Group Head of Health, Safety and Technical Services, ATS Euromaster
Driverfta is the drivers “cut” of Visionfta which will give them access to their own “read only” data via a PC. If they have already downloaded the Driverfta app then they will be able to use the same user name and log in details to access Driverfta. They will just need to go to vision.fta.co.uk and log in, otherwise contact tachosales@fta.co.uk for full details.
Driverfta includes access to the:
Driver Calendar, including visibility of forward hours, weekly statistics and activities report, and a view of 4 weeks’ worth of data at a time
Day detail screen and history
Driver profile including access to debrief archive and history. The driver performance has been excluded for the short term.
This new feature also includes a “Walk through” video to show the driver how to use the application. This is available by clicking on the user name in the top right hand side of the screen.
For full details of how to give your drivers access to Driverfta contact tachosales@fta.co.uk
If one or two long-range weather reports are to be believed, this Christmas might just be one to live long in the memory for youngsters, even if their parents might be marginally less enamoured. As the festive period draws ever closer, those obligatory white Christmas headlines are greeted with unparalleled levels of excitement amongst youngsters, with the prospect of snowballs and sleighs too exciting to contemplate. For commercial vehicle drivers out on the road, however, such a scenario is not quite as eagerly anticipated.
As we approach the colder months, the need to complete the daily tyre checks is more important than ever, and will offset those worries about seasonal safety. Even if your fleet does not fit cold weather (‘winter’) tyres per se, it is good practice to ensure that tyres have good remaining tread depth (at least 7mm). If you operate on the continent, ensure that you are aware of the winter tyre regulations in that country and fit M&S or Alpine marked tyres accordingly.
Bridgestone boasts a range of premium tyres to ensure that commercial drivers are in the safest position possible when out on the roads over the festive period, with our M788 tyre a particularly pertinent product. The all-season advantage of the M788 means that it is suitable for use in Europe. It means the tyres do not have to be changed before travelling to countries like Austria, so we are providing the best all round tyre for all seasons, with safety never being compromised.
For more information about Bridgestone and our range of premium commercial tyre products, visit www.bridgestone.co.uk
