Anyone running a vehicle-led business knows it is crucial to build-in safety precautions that protect their workforce and other road users.
Here, we consider some simple tips that could help:
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states that every employer must ensure the health and safety of all employees while at work. This includes work-related driving activities.
Regularly completing risk assessments and inspecting your fleet of vehicles can highlight potential problems, minimise accident rates and ensure your business has completed legally required due diligence.
Close Brothers’ flexible fleet management can offer support, with services from tyre management to vehicle inspections and tacho analysis.
Plan ahead
Planning routes before embarking on a journey helps to drivers to use the safest course. Encourage drivers to opt for roads that are easily accessible and stay up-to-date with weather and traffic reports so that they can make necessary diversions.
Stay connected with your drivers by getting checkpoint updates and confirmation of arrival. Tracing routes means you can be confident that jobs are on-track and can also make you more aware of driving patterns.
Implement training
Regular training courses can be used to remind employees of your policies and emphasise the importance of safety. They can also provide an opportunity to pick up on areas of development and provide further guidance where needed.
While face-to-face sessions have their own benefits, e-learning programmes can also be a great way for drivers to build on their skills and implement safe driving standards when they are on the road.
Maintain your vehicles
Before each journey, check your vehicles have an up-to-date MOT, are serviced and have sufficient fuel. Our online, interactive vehicle and fleet management system, CVS Live, enables you to view all your current fleet information including legal requirements and other documentation.
Many of Close Brothers’ financing options, such as our hire plan solution, include full maintenance and servicing, so you can feel confident knowing your vehicles are reliable, up-to-date and regularly maintained.
Invest in telematics
Telematics record data about vehicles on the move. Using a range of technologies such as GPS, telecommunications and mobile communications, they collect information about how the car is being driven and when.
As well as providing benefits such as improving fuel efficiency and reducing warranty costs, telematics can reduce accident rates by improving driver safety. This is because telematics can:
- Monitor the condition of vehicles – diagnose faults or potential faults to discover if they need maintenance
- Monitor driver behaviour and driving styles – this can identify potentially unsafe driving habits and highlight the need for additional training
- Identify the best and safest routes, plus provide real-time vehicle tracking so you’ll have close control over your fleet
Find out how our telematics product could help your business.
