What ’ s wrong with my fleet ?
Forward
A common objection is that driver training can be too costly to consider . Even for companies who are focused on training , it is often seen as a luxury that can be trimmed down during lean trading periods . Both are misconceptions ; in fact having a welltrained , qualified driving staff can have a positive financial impact :
� Better drivers use less fuel .
� Vehicles are exposed to less wear and tear .
� Accidents and repairs should be minimised .
� Insurance premiums are likely to be lower .
Managed drivers are happier drivers , and happier drivers are more likely to be loyal and hard working .
Identify , manage and monitor your incidents .
FACT : Businesses paid out more than £ 26m in insurance excess payments as a result of collisions involving company vehicles last year .
Despite the fact that RTAs have impacted 86 % of fleets in the past 12 months , an alarming number of drivers
are still driving without due consideration for basic road safety . 16 % of business drivers report feeling ‘ invincible ’ when driving , claiming that they never consider their safety to be at risk ( source : Masternaut .) Speeding is by far the most common driving offence
committed by company drivers , according to figures released by Capital Solutions Fleet Services . Analysis of the company ’ s 55,000-vehicle fleet shows that 41 % of fines recorded in the last 12 months were for speeding . Other common offences such as congestion charge avoidance and parking fines only amount to around half of the same level .
Clearly companies need to invest in accident avoidance . Driver training , ongoing education programmes , telematics , vehicle safety checks , speed limiting technology and driver incentives are all highly effective , proven measures of risk reduction . However it ’ s impossible to eliminate the risk of accidents completely therefore it ’ s equally important to have a structured accident management process in place
31 % of UK businesses with 100 or more employees are doing nothing to address driver behaviour , nor are 62 % of companies with less than 100 employees . 1
too , so that if the worst should happen , you ’ re prepared . Your accident response procedure starts at the point of impact . Drivers need to know exactly what to do , what information they need to give and gather , and who to contact . Erecting a warning triangle on the approach to an incident site , or moving a vehicle out of the path of traffic are simple enough tasks , but drivers need to know when to step in and when to leave the site untouched , as intervening with the best of intentions could be potentially unsafe , or could hinder the gathering of evidence .
1 . Corporate Vehicle Observatory ( CVO ) Barometer
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