Drivers urged to make checks in winter
ROAD casualties peak in the winter months with many crashes caused by vehicles not being in tip-top condition and drivers ignoring severe weather warnings...
With the onset of freezing driving conditions, thick fog, strong winds and heavy rain the annual appeal to company car, van, HGV and bus and coach drivers to be prepared for severe weather that can affect road journeys has been made.
Government data reveals that last year road deaths in December and January were among the highest recorded on a month-by-month basis with significantly high levels of injuries being suffered by road users in January and March.
Yet, despite there being 1,452 people killed on Britain’s roads in the six months October-March and more than 120,500 injuries, the Highways Agency says that 50% of road users continue with a journey after hearing a severe weather warning. And around a third of road users fail to carry out any checks on their vehicles before heading out.
Derek Turner, director of network operations for the Agency, said: “While we’re ready for winter, we want drivers and passengers to be ready too. We recognise that travel can be essential and our survey shows that people do head out during severe weather, but being caught out by cold weather, strong winds or heavy rain isn’t nice, especially if you’ve broken down. Drivers need to be prepared with a severe weather kit in their vehicles, carry out simple vehicle checks before they set out and plan their journeys.”
That is why RoadSafe supporter Kwik-Fit Fleet is once again offering a free vehicle safety check for company car and van drivers at all of its High Street centres.
Available on a pop-in basis, the check covers:
- Tyre check – pressures, tread depth and general condition (including spare)
- Battery check – using electronic test equipment
- Exhaust check – condition and fitment including hangers and brackets
- Tracking check – visual check to determine if the tyres show related wear
- Glass/wipers check – condition of vehicle glass and wipers.
Mike Wise, head of Kwik-Fit Fleet, said: “A failure by drivers to ensure their vehicles are in a first-class condition and maintained in accordance with manufacturer recommendations could be the difference between life and death.”
Meanwhile, Northgate Vehicle Hire, Britain’s largest vehicle hire company with a fleet of 68,500 vehicles, is opening its own workshops across the UK with the offer to service and maintain customers’ own vehicles and is promoting a free 20-point winter health and safety check. Northgate was one of the first companies to be selected as a ‘business champion’ under the Department for Transport’s ‘Driving for Better Business’ initiative, which is managed by RoadSafe.
The Highways Agency recommends that a ‘severe weather kit’ includes: an ice scraper and de-icer, a torch, warm clothes and a blanket, a pair of boots, a first-aid kit, battery jump leads, a spade if it’s likely to snow, food and drink.
Motorists can call the Highways Agency’s 24-hour automated phone service on 08700 660115 for the latest traffic and travel information. For information on weather conditions, visit the Met Office website at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk or listen to local radio broadcasts.