Fleets need a driving policy warns IAM Commercial
THE Government’s newly announced proposals to crack down on reckless driving reinforces the need for fleets to have a company driving policy, according to IAM Commercial...
A driving ban after two speeding convictions is among a raft of new measures unveiled by the Government to tackle the menace of dangerous drivers in a bid to reduce the number of deaths and injuries on Britain’s roads.
The package of measures covers five areas: speeding, drink-driving, drug-driving, seat belt wearing and careless driving. In addition, the Government is proposing a major review of remedial training and testing schemes to ensure consistency and common standards.
Last year there were 247,780 casualties on the UK’s roads with 2,946 people killed, 27,774 people seriously injured and 217,060 people slightly injured.
With about a third of deaths and injuries related to the corporate sector, IAM Commercial managing director Seb Goldin said the Government’s approach should be supported by companies.
Outline
He added: “Company driving policies should outline an organisation’s stance on all of the key road safety issues highlighted in the Government consultation document, amongst others. A driving policy which also determines the required training for each employee dependant on their reasons for driving for work should be the foundation for managing occupational road risk.”
None of the measures highlighted in the Department for Transport’s consultation on ‘Road Safety Compliance’, which runs until February 27, 2009, are new. Indeed, most of them were first highlighted in the 2006 Road Safety Act.
On speeding, the Government wants to introduce a graduated fixed penalty of six penalty points for drivers who exceed the speed limit by a very large margin – 20 mph in most speed limits. For example a driver caught travelling at more than 40 mph in a 20 mph zone, 50 mph in a 30 mph zone, 60 mph in a 40 mph zone or 90 mph on a motorway would receive the sixpoint penalty and could be banned after two offences. The fixed penalty fine for speeding would remain at £60. The standard three-point penalty for drivers caught speeding below the six-point threshold would remain in place. The measure could come into force in spring 2010. The Department calculates that there were 727 deaths where speed was recorded as a contributory factor in 2007. In responding to demands that the UK drink-driving limit is cut to 50 mg/100 ml – the level in most European countries – the Government says it has ‘a completely open mind’, although it is seeking comments on a possible reduction from 80 mg/100 ml. Driving while impaired by alcohol accounted for 460 deaths in 2007. The Government is also planning to remove the option for drivers caught moderately above the drink-drive limit to request a second test by a doctor and potentially fall back under the limit while waiting for them to arrive.
The Government is aiming to encourage more people to wear seat belts by increasing the fine for not belting-up from £30 to £60 in 2009. It calculates that nearly 400 lives each year could have been saved if all vehicle occupants wore seat belts.
Research suggests that drugdriving is on the increase with as many as one in five drivers killed in road crashes possibly having an impairing drug in their system.
Therefore, the Government is questioning whether a new offence should be created to bring drugdriving more into line with drinkdriving, by making it illegal to drive after taking a drug which is both illegal and impairing.
The current law requires proof that a driver is impaired by drugs, a procedure that is complex and, as a result, cases are few, says the consultation document.
Any new offence could be introduced in 2011/12.
On careless driving, the Government is proposing to make it a fixed penalty offence with a £60 fine and three penalty points early in 2010. Currently motorists charged with the offence must go to court.
The new move is designed to increase enforcement levels.
In planning a major review of remedial training and testing schemes, the Government is concerned at the variety of schemes on offer and wants to ‘work towards a common set of standards’.
- The consultation document can be accessed at http://www.dft.gov. uk/consultations/open/compliance/
- See ‘Education drive to win over speeding motorists’