Spring 2007

Foreword

At-work driving safety
Ashley Martin, Editor of RoadSafe

Cover story

Could YOU be a safety champion
The Government has launched two major new driving at work safety campaigns focusing on both employers and employees in a bid to reduce death and injury in crashes and promote 'Driving for Better Business'

Committee will set up network
A special steering committee has been established to develop and co-ordinate the network of 'Business Champions'

Van drivers in spotlight
Reducing the number of road crashes involving van drivers by influencing their behaviour and attitude behind the wheel is the aim of the Government's first 'Driving for Work' campaign

News

Careful driving can reduce CO2 emissions by 7%
Disciplined driving and car care can reduce global warming carbon dioxide (CO2) exhaust emissions by up to 7% or a third of a ton per car a year

Safety benefits of sat-nav revealed
Satellite navigation systems have huge driver and traffic safety benefits, according to the results of six-month research programme conducted by the Dutch research institute TNO on behalf of Aon, Athlon Car Lease, Delta Lloyd (part of Aviva Plc) and TomTom

Telematics cuts insurance for vans
Norwich Union has launched a ground-breaking scheme for fleets operating more than 25 vans in which telematics systems are fitted free and insurance premiums are fixed for two years

How 112 could save 5,000 lives
Using the single European emergency call number of 112 could save at least 5,000 lives around Europe every year, but few British drivers travelling abroad recognise the number, according to GEM Motoring Assist, formerly the Guild of Experienced Motorists

Pressure washers may cause tyre damage, warns TyreSafe
Pressure washers used by the increasing number of roadside hand car wash teams launching across the country could pose a safety risk leading to possible tyre failure

HGV crashes key concern despite praise for DfT
The Department for Transport has been congratulated for being on course to meet its road casualty reduction targets but MPs say there remain key areas of concern with the number of crashes involving HGVs, and particularly foreign-registered vehicles, the biggest issue

AA warns companies over foreign driving licences
Almost one third of foreign driving licence enquiries received by AA Business Services are from business users working for UK companies who would be vicariously liable for their drivers' actions in the event of an accident

Higher crash repair standards are promised
Higher crash repair standards are being promised following the launch of the Thatcham BSI Kitemark® scheme

SAFED trains 7,500 drivers
A total of 7,500 van drivers should now be driving more safely and fuel-efficiently after being trained under the Department for Transport-s £2.5 million Safe and Fuel Efficient Drivers (SaFED) project

Motorpoint launches pioneering customer safety info scheme
Customers of Motorpoint, the first retail motor group in the UK to become a supporter of RoadSafe, are to be advised of the safety features fitted to vehicles with windscreen stickers on each model listing equipment

Tough rules needed for young drivers
Organisations that don't have tough rules governing the eligibility of newly-qualified and young drivers to take to the wheel on company business could inadvertently be putting lives at risk, according to risk management and fleet software expert Jaama

ESC: 20% crash risk reduction
A major pan-European campaign to promote business and consumer awareness of life-saving electronic stability control is being launched on May 8

Aiming to make the world a safer place
Every six seconds a person is killed or maimed on the world's roads, meaning that crashes kill on the scale of malaria or TB, which is why April 23-29 has been designated United Nations Global Road Safety Week

At-work drivers most at risk on Britain's roads
At-work drivers are one of three groups of road users - along with young drivers and motorcyclists - who are more at risk on the roads than anyone else, according to the Government's latest road safety strategy review

Cash-for-car schemes 'a safety timebomb'
Privately-used cars driven on business fail to register with the vast majority of company bosses as a risk management issue

Report reveals weak company risk policies
Company policies on road safety are weak or entirely absent in many cases, according to Risk and Reward 2007, a report published by Alphabet, the multimarque BMW Group subsidiary that operates 36,000 vehicles in the UK

Focused campaigns 'good value'
Investment in highly focused local road safety education campaigns that are based on reliable information about specific area problems as well as effective enforcement of road traffic law will represent good value for taxpayers' money

Safety focus boosts demand for Kwik-Fit
The ever-increasing focus by companies on at-work driver safety is driving up tyre safety checks and brake inspection work to unprecedented levels at Kwik-Fit Fleet, Britain's largest independent fast-fit business

News round up
Other news stories

VIP viewpoint

Crashes: ignorance is no excuse
Encouraging behavioural change among company drivers rather than wielding the big stick is the way to cut Britain's road death toll

Why are drug-driving laws so lax?
Reforming existing drug-driving laws is the number one priority for Meredydd Hughes, who has never been a traffic policeman, although he has been in charge of roads policing units

Opinion

10 reasons NOT to adopt a driver risk management strategy
Organisations running vehicles as part of their work activity procrastinate over deciding whether or not to manage the road risk that their employees are routinely exposed to

Uninsured driving: firms MUST help out
Uninsured driving is rarely seen as an issue for the business community, despite the fact that uninsured drivers are likely to have committed other crimes too

Safety - a hidden marketing tool?
Our research and experience around the world suggests there is a relationship between safety and marketing at two extremes

Manufacturers' round up

Safety first
A looks at some of the safety-related features being pioneered by car makers

Euro ncap

Gulf widens between the manufacturers
The latest round of Euro NCAP crash tests reveals that some carmakers are still lazy about safety

Legislation update

Mobile safety
Mobiles: the law gets tough

Improving road safety
The UK government and the European Commission continue to introduce new legislation

Special feature

'Permits to Drive' add to fleet safety story
Business motorists may have driving licences but that's no guarantee that they are safe on the roads. Ashley Martin reports on how a new scheme is aiming to weed out the wrongdoers

Driving on the school curriculum
Young drivers and cars can prove a lethal combination. Ashley Martin reports on how one company is aiming to change the mindset of teenagers to make them - and our roads - safer

Keeping it in the family
Driver training is all well and good for family members who may also use the new scheme launched by BT addresses company car drivers, but what about their vehicle? Ashley Martin reports on how a the problem of family and friends

Case studies

A cool way to reduce road accidents
Cold solutions specialist WR Refrigeration explains how its accident rate has dropped after putting drivers through an online assessment

Pickfords moves up in safety league
Is it really possible to reduce accidents and save £300,000 a year into the bargain? Definitely, says Pickfords' deputy group insurance manager Nick Purkis. Here's how it was done...

Training pays dividends at Sainsbury's
Supermarket giant Sainsbury's has evolved its driver safety courses into a comprehensive occupational risk management programme - and is also reaping rewards

Motorcycling

How bikers take action to promote the cause
The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has grown into a well-organised body protecting the interests - and safety - of motorcyclists. Mark Robinson reports

Truck news

Freight scheme shares industry best practice
Sharing best practice among freight operators whose vehicles travel in and around London is at the heart of the Freight Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS), a new initiative launched by Transport for London (TfL)