Tiredness and tight deadlines can increase the likelihood of accidents on the roads
With accidents occurring on our roads every minute, employers must make their staff aware of the many hidden dangers of driving for work. Tiredness and tight deadlines can increase the likelihood of accidents on the roads, thereby putting staff in danger and increasing insurance premiums.
Yesterday, RSA warned employers to take steps to ensure that their staff who drive for work do not drive excessively long distances or drive under pressure to get to meetings or make deliveries as both situations could dramatically increase the likelihood of an accident. By monitoring staff’s working time and deadlines, employers can look after the welfare of their people and potentially prevent their premiums from rising.
Mike Tansey, RSA fleet risk management consultant and Dr Lisa Dorn from Cranfield University discussed how effective fleet management can save businesses money both through their insurance premiums as well as in petrol costs. They also warned that driver behaviour can change around a crash and that it was vital to fully understand the distractions on the roads in order to avoid making a fatal mistake.
Tansey and Dorn used several case studies to analyse the various occasions that accidents occurred because the driver was distracted.
Tansey said: ‘If you drive for work you are much more likely to be involved in an accident than similar drivers who do not drive for work. As such, fleet exposures need to be carefully managed in order to minimise loss and suffering and to optimise business potential and reduce operating costs.’
