Fleet safety survey highlights major dangers in weak company occupational road risk policies

1 May 2006

Fleet decision-makers have admitted to a huge lack of understanding of occupational road risk management measures they should have in place to protect them from prosecution and keep their drivers safe.

More than half (51%) of the fleet operators taking part in the online survey sent to 330 businesses by fleet software and occupational road safety specialist Jaama, and contract hire and leasing company Fleet Hire, admitted to not having a good understanding of the health and safety legislation effecting their fleet.

As a result of the survey, Jaama and Fleet Hire, both based in the West Midlands, have teamed up to host two separate half-day seminars entitled ‘Understanding Health and Safety Legislation and your Duty of Care Obligations’ and ‘How to carry out Fleet Risk Assessments and Developing a Safety Culture’. The seminars will be held on Tuesday, June 6 at Sytners’ Land Rover dealership in Coventry.

The survey of Fleet Hire customers also revealed that:

• More than three-quarters of companies failed to carry out risk assessments on their drivers, vehicles and journeys despite it being a requirement under the 1999 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
• 30% of companies failed to check the licences of staff who drive on business
• Almost half (49%) of companies did not have a fleet policy in place
• Of the 51% of companies that did have a fleet policy in place, half failed to regularly produce updated versions
• 68% of respondents allowed staff to use their own vehicles on business, but responses showed a laissez-faire attitude in safety advice to those drivers
• More than one-in-four drivers (43%) did not carry out vehicle safety inspections

Further details of the seminars can be obtained from Fleet Hire via info@fleethire.co.uk or  www.fleethire.co.uk.