Why You Need to Drive Safety Into the Heart of Your Business

Do you own a vehicle based business? A fleet management company, for example.

Or does your living depend on driving? To get goods and products out, or supplies back in - perhaps. Maybe you employ field sales representatives. Whichever it is, you need to stay on top of your game....

Keeping your drivers safe on the road

Employers have a duty of care for their employees - and this is just, if not more, important out on the road.Keeping your drivers safe, getting the right insurance and proper backing - should the worst happen. These are all crucial considerations.

Driving for work is a high-risk activity after all.And it’s estimated that as many as one in every three road collisions is related to it. So every business owner needs to be accountable - and take proper measures - including the ones below:

1. Put a policy in place that makes a commitment to manage your driving for work risks.
2. Carry out a risk inventory of your business to see how many people drive for work, in the business, and in what type of vehicle, and in what capacity
3. Carry out a risk assessment of driving for work practices.
4. Implement appropriate controls and procedures to manage the risks effectively..
5. Consider using technology from a telematics company to help monitor.your fleet’s activity.

And if you outsource contracts, remember you’re just as responsible. So don’t think you can outsource your duties in regard to road safety in the process.

When accidents do happen

Even if you employ the most skilled drivers, choose the safest routes, and implement stringent standards - accidents will inevitably happen.

So what is the right course of action- and who can you contact to help? The first priority is to your employee - that’s a given. To ensure they are safe and well - and receive any appropriate medical assistance.

But the accident should always be reported to the police as soon as possible - so make sure your drivers know that. And that they will need to collect the following information::

• Registration numbers, addresses and names of all drivers involved
• Names and addresses of all those witnessing the accident
• Photographs of the area affected and damage incurred
• Layout of the road where the accident occurred
• Details of all the insurance specifics of the drivers affected
• Notes related to the time of day, sequence of events, weather and light levels
• Names and numbers of police officers involved

Expert advice you might not have considered

When it comes to establishing fault - and making an insurance claim - there are a range of experts who can support you.

One you might not have considered contacting is an accident expert witness. But you should do.They’re exactly as it sounds - someone who specialises in analysing crashes to help prove or disprove fault.And, ifyou run a fleet management company, for example, employing trucking experts could really help build your case. They can give real insight into the cause of an accident, and their expert knowledge on industry regulations can prove invaluable.

We hope this has provided some food for thought on your responsibilities as the employer of workplace drivers. With the right procedures, and expert knowledge at hand, your staff can stay safe on the road. And your business’s success can be secured.

Photo by Aleksejs Bergmanis from Pexels