Safe Speed Forums

MPs back work driving assessments
Posted Wed, 14 Jan 2009

Fatal collisions by people driving as part of their job not only result in a tragic loss of life but also cost the UK more than £1.6 billion in 2007, it has been revealed.

To combat this, a road safety initiative from the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) aimed at identifying aspects of an individual's driving that need development has received cross-party support from MPs.

As part of the launch, MPs will be completing the IAM Driver Risk Management programme to set an example for businesses of all sizes on how to manage the risks associated with employees driving for work.

IAM fleet managing director Seb Goldin said: "Around a third of all road accidents involve people driving for work, and for every death there is an associated cost to the economy which can total billions of pounds each year. This is not acceptable and is why we are asking MPs to take the lead in reducing the alarming road death rate."

MPs will conduct an IAM online risk assessment of their driving at the launch event. From this, a risk rating will determine further training needs - ranging from e-learning to personal on-road lessons to improve driving skills.

Copyright © Press Association 2009

Once again, the government shows it's total lack of knowledge about road safety. As with the ",speed kills" madness where they say that speed accounts from between 3% and 28% of road deaths (depending on which set of figures are handy at the time) they are not going out to a cure for the majority of road deaths but a minority.

Business drivers, I would guess, account for at least 50% of the vehicles on the roads during the daytime and when you consider that the average business driver covers at least twice the mileage of the average driver then 30% isn't a very high figure, but instead of curing the main factor, i.e the other 70%, they are targeting the wrong group. Not because it will make a big difference but because they are the "easiest" group to target and it gives "joe public" the impression that they are doing "something" about road casualties. No doubt one of the governments' main ideas will be to restrict the speed of all company vehicles because as we all "know", "speed" is the "Main" factor in any accident.

Oooo!

Will I be able to dismiss someone whose driving is, I believe, unsatisfactory? Will I have to pay for them to receive training or will the government pay for it on the grounds that "one life saved ..."? (I know the answer to this already.)

Box ticking tosh. There is already a duty on employers to look after the health, welfare and safety of employees. This additional stuff is not required.

Why then, should the Government want to impose more controls on this group rather than the more inexperienced sector?

....Easier to target? No other reason really!

I have to admit that targeting occupational drivers may be of benefit, apart from the additional training aspect which can only be of benefit, it also helps concentrate employers - I've dealt with many companies in my H&S role about driver trainig and a better awarenes of occ driving, one had called me in after a long run of accidents - My initial response was that the workload and geographic area was unrealistic even if the driver could get everywhere at top legal speeds, let alone with realistic speeds accounting for traffic etc.

Previously as far as companies go occ driving often isn't seen as a employers H&S duty, more a problem of the driver's responsibility.

In addition to assesment of drivers and training, I think that more emphasis should be placed on employers taking a more realistic demand on occ drivers.

As far as I can see, the suggested scheme is nothing to do with assessing employers organisational systems for directing their drivers (which is what you diagnosed in the example which you give). It's all to do with assessing the driver's capability by the IAM.

However, I agree with you last point that employers should be realistic about what they ask staff to do.

Yes, improving systems and procedures for directing drivers is likely to make more difference than assessing their capabilities, to be honest.

Too many employers still do not regard driving as a core part of the work task when undertaken by people not employed specifically as drivers.