Risk assessment

As a result, it is in evitable that thousands of companies across the UK fall significantly short of complying with all relevant corporate and regulatory requirements relating to fleet safety.

It is for that reason that the Department for Transport is funding the 'Driving for Better Business' campaign, which is being managed by RoadSafe. As revealed in the summer issue of RoadSafe magazine, occupational road risk management 'business champions' are now being identified and three pilot programmes to promote fleet safety are in the process of being launched.

As highlighted by Prince Michael of Kent, who has championed road safety for 20 years through his Road Safety Awards, there are sound financial reasons why fleets must do more to protect their drivers.

Death and injury on the roads is one of the epidemics plaguing both the UK and the world today. Vehicle manufacturers are making huge strides in improving car, van and truck safety through design and new features, and highway engineers are taking steps to redesign crash blackspots.

However, it is clear that many fleet decision'makers have yet to take action to reduce the road risks faced by their employees' everyday. One way to take action would be to ensure all future vehicles are equipped with electronic stability control - a new Europe-wide 'Choose ESC' campaign is being backed by RoadSafe - a second step would be to embrace the many best practices initiatives highlighted in the magazine by the fleets we have spotlighted.

Those companies have all recognised that it makes financial, legal and moral sense to implement at-work driving safety policies. It is time the rest of the nation's companies followed their leadership.

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