News

Please find below a variety of news stories concerning occupational driving, workplace safety, duty of care and driver safety generally.

Drive & Survive wins 2008 Business Car Risk Management Award

For the second year in a row, Drive & Survive has been awarded the BusinessCar award for best Risk Management Supplier.

Drive & Survive aims to position itself as an expertise resource, working alongside customers to help manage their business more effectively. It recognises the commercial realities of everyday life – although it obviously assists with duty of care compliance, and knows that the biggest influencer in the decision to implement a driver risk management programme will invariably be the effect it can have on fleet running cost savings.

All the awards are voted for by the readers of BusinessCar magazine, website and email newsletters, so it’s the people that are using the products on a daily basis who make the decisions.

BusinessCar Editor-in-Chief Tristan Young said: “Risk management is an increasingly important topic for business car managers and it’s clear that Drive & Survive is delivering the goods. Any well-managed fleet will be aware of the need to take every step to protect their drivers and the votes from BusinessCar readers show that Drive & Survive is giving the industry what it needs.”

Accepting the award on Drive & Survive’s behalf was Sales Manager, Ryan Brittain, who commented: “Selling safety has never been an easy task but we know, beyond any doubt, that what we do works in every area it touches and to be recognised (again) by our clients in this way really does make the efforts worthwhile. Thank you!”

New corporate risk profiling tool

Drive & Survive strategic partner RiskFrisk® has launched a new corporate risk profiling tool aimed particularly at large corporates with multiple depots, large mixed fleets and complex supply chain arrangements. Further information can be obtained at www.fleetriskprofiler.com

Drive & Survive behind the latest Ford fleet offering

Market leader Ford is the first vehicle manufacturer to offer its fleet customers an own-branded driver risk management product, which consists of online risk assessments, online E-Learning modules and on-road practical driver coaching, for a fixed fee per head

Fleet customers, even those with multi marque fleets, will be able to take advantage of the subsidised rate of £109 per driver, which will be constant irrespective of what interventions are dictated by the online assessments that each driver would initially complete.

All elements of the risk management programme, which is very similar to the ‘DRM Package’ highlighted on the Products/Hands On Training page of this website, will be provided by Drive & Survive. Even the dedicated website that drivers will log onto to complete the online aspects of the programme has been built for Ford by the Drive & Survive in-house team.

Any corporate entity with a fleet in excess of 50 vehicles, at least one of which is a Ford product, wishing to take advantage of the Ford offer should contact Drive & Survive project manager Emily Nafzger on 0870 1218339 or on emily.nafzger@drivesurvive.co.uk.

Non Ford fleets comprising less than fifty vehicles can also take advantage of this truly integrated driver risk management programme but on different terms and conditions – please contact sales support on enquiries@drivesurvive.co.uk

Corporate Manslaughter Bill update

This much publicised Bill is still making its way through the legislative process and we cannot guarantee that it will make the statute books in this term of parliament but, if it did, the stories about driver prosecutions listed below would take on a whole new meaning for those responsible for the actions of employees driving for work purposes.

Text killer

A sales executive who killed another motorist after sending text messages whilst driving has been jailed for two years.

Michael Smith of Pontypool was overtaking when he hit an oncoming car head on, killing the driver David Brown. Evidence produced in court confirmed that Smith had sent and received five text messages whilst he drove along the A492 just minutes before the crash.

There was extensive media coverage of this incident in both the local and national news and broadcast media. Had he not been self employed it is quite conceivable under new police powers that the local constabulary would have quizzed Smith’s employer about the company policy covering the correct use of a mobile phone whilst on company business.

Free consultation

You may qualify for a FREE driver risk management health check from Drive & Survive. Please click here to find out more.'

Fleet News Award for Drive & Survive We did it! Drive & Survive has won what is arguably the highest accolade in the fleet industry when it won the ‘Best Risk Management Company’ category in the 2007 Fleet News Awards in mid March. In a glittering ceremony reminiscent of the Oscars, some 1500 guests witnessed a string of fleet industry luminaries collect their much sought after trophies on stage at the Grosvenor House Hotel from TV personality Nick Ross. But it was not only Drive & Survive that was briefly centre stage on the night. The spotlight also fell on three of Drive & Survive’s largest customers that evening. Ford came out on top with the ‘Fleet Manufacturer of the Year’ title; the ‘UK Fleet of the Year’ went to PriceWaterhouseCoopers and ‘Fleet Manager of the Year’ in the 401 + vehicle category went to Chuck Ives of Network Rail. Drive & Survive General Manager Andy Neale had plenty to smile about: “Whilst we are thrilled with our own result, I find it particularly gratifying that three of our larger customers received important awards too. I like to think that the work we are doing with all three companies to reduce fleet running costs and promote best practice contributed to their victories to some degree.”

Drive & Survive Marketing Manager Steve Johnson (centre) collects the Fleet News Award from Nick Ross and Penny Stoolman of Award sponsor Total Accident Management. Marketing Manager Steve Johnson (left) and General Manager Andy Neale (right) with the 'Best Risk Management Company' trophy.

Two Business Car Awards for Drive & Survive Drive & Survive has sprung a surprise on some of the larger, better-resourced fleet industry players by snatching the prestigious 'Service Supplier of the Year' category in the 2007 Business Car Awards (previously known as The Fleet Excellence Awards), which are organised by publisher Wilmington Media. Traditionally the preserve of the big brands with multi million pound turnover and armies of staff, Drive & Survive managed to elicit the support of their customers to the point where there was the largest ever vote for a single company in the 13 year history of these awards. Business Car editor, Tristan Young, commented "The Business Car Awards are a barometer for the company car market. Drive & Survive's Service Supplier win shows how important safety is to UK fleets." Drive & Survive General Manager, Andy Neale, said: "We are very grateful to the readers of Business Car, who have clearly indicated their satisfaction with the way in which Drive & Survive interacts with them. Risk management is never an easy sell-in but it becomes more palatable when you can demonstrate quantifiable financial savings, something that we continue to do for customers old and new. “2007 will be an exciting time for Drive & Survive, particularly with regards to product development, and we intend to continue with our stated aim of exceeding customer expectations.” Drive & Survive also won the 'Risk Management' category, something which has now achieved on nine occasions in the past 11 years.

Marketing Manager Steve Johnson (right) collecting the Service Supplier Award from Business Car editor Tristan Young (centre) and Veronica Whittingham of Awards Sponsors Platinum Fleet. Customer Services Manager Jay Wilson (right) collecting the Risk Management Award from Business Car editor Tristan Young

Road Safety Bill

The main changes to the law that affect business drivers are:

• a new offence of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving, which will carry a custodial sentence of up to five years
• the penalty for careless or inconsiderate driving doubles, from £2500 to £5000
• using a hand held phone whilst driving and, as a result, failing to have proper control of the vehicle, will attract three penalty points and a £60 fixed penalty fine
• there will be graduated fines for speeding offences, dependant upon the actual speed recorded within a specific limit, although the parameters for these have yet to be finalised

Company raided after road collision

Dorset-based transport and logistics firm Taymix felt the uncomfortable long arm of the law recently. Following the arrest of a Polish Taymix driver, after he struck a car on the A303 in Wiltshire and pushed it into the path of oncoming traffic on the other carriageway resulting in the death of the two occupants, police raided the firm's premises and removed a number of items. A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: "We will now be undertaking extensive analysis of the items recovered. It is anticipated that it will be some time before we have a clear picture of the circumstances leading to the collision".

The actual crash and its associated costs will have had a significant impact on the business already. It is likely that computers and key documentation will have been seized in the raid, which will only add to the disruption caused by this incident. If you then add the effect of the negative publicity generated both locally and nationally, this is not good news for this company's reputation.

Two more employers convicted for driving-related health and safety lapses

The Health & Safety Executive has brought a successful prosecution against a director of a Widnes-based firm, whose poor policies and procedures led to the death of an employee after he was run over by a vehicle on a demolition site. Commenting on the resulting suspended custodial sentence, Health & Safety Executive inspector Debbie John said, "A small investment in time and good working practices can often save a business a lot of time and money, incurred as a result of injured workers or enforcement action."

Another company was recently fined £100,000, after one of its workers was crushed to death by the specialised vehicle he was driving when it toppled over. Lack of driver training was cited as a significant factor in this case. HSE inspector Rosemary Leese Weller said, "This employee's death would have been entirely preventable if simple health and safety precautions had been followed, including proper vehicle maintenance and training. This particular accident illustrates the importance of employers providing safe sites, safe vehicles and safe drivers."

Sleeping truck driver kills four

German truck driver Andreas Klassen has been jailed for five years for crashing into the back of a queue of slow moving vehicles on the M6 in Staffordshire as a result of dozing off at the wheel. The resulting four deaths, ensuing mayhem and damage to his company's reputation was caused as a result of not complying with statutory rest periods.

Huge compensation for dangerous driving

A 21 year old refuse worker has been awarded a £3.75 million compensation payment after he was paralysed in a crash resulting from his workmate performing a 'shift load manoeuvre'. The driver had already been convicted of dangerous driving earlier in the year and a supervisor convicted of aiding and abetting. Although the Health and Safety Executive appear not to be following this case up, one can only speculate as to increase in the employer's vehicle fleet insurance premiums as a result of this incident.

Director convicted following employee death

A driver of an articulated dumper truck was killed when it rolled over and crushed him in Lancashire, resulting in two companies and a director involved being fined a total of £250,000. Whilst we recognise that this was not an on-road incident, the DfT is currently consulting on new regulations governing driving for work purposes and high profile incidents such as this do have an influence on policy thinking. The HSE Inspector involved in the case, Ian Connor, commented, "It is vital that everybody who operates a specialised vehicle like this is properly trained and that there is a high standard of supervision to ensure that they always use the vehicle safely."

Lorry drivers jailed after death crashes

Two lorry drivers have been jailed for causing death by dangerous driving in separate road traffic accidents. James Wingfield, 36, was jailed for three years after admitting three counts of causing death by dangerous driving when he appeared at Peterborough Crown Court. His lorry ploughed into a car killing Stacey Gitsham, 26, and her son Joshua, two, and 11-week-old Georgia, in December 2005. The court heard that Wingfield was not speeding at the time of the accident on 8 December, but that the crash was the result of a 'prolonged period of inattention.' Judge Nicholas Coleman said Wingfield would serve half his sentence before being eligible for parole and would be disqualified from driving for at least three years.

In a second incident, lorry driver John Payne, 31, who was using his mobile phone just before he smashed into a stationary car and killed 23-year-old Trinity Taylor, was jailed for four years. Payne, who had admitted causing death by dangerous driving, was also banned from driving for seven years. Sentencing Payne, the Recorder of Winchester Judge Michael Brodrick, said: "Anyone wanting an illustration of using mobile phones in a vehicle only has to look at the facts of this case."

So called professional truck driver Peter Murray killed a family of four, including two children, on the M25 last year as a result of driving under the influence of alcohol. Murray will not only serve six years in jail for four counts of causing death by dangerous driving but also be disqualified from driving for five years thereafter and have to take an extended driving test, effectively ending his career as a driver.

More lorry driver mayhem

A 51 year old Telford man has received a lengthy custodial sentence following his conviction for dangerous driving, his Volvo truck having ploughed into the back of a stationary car whilst making a call on his hand held mobile phone. Two teenage girls lost their life as a result. Although on this occasion no employing entity was brought to book for the carnage and devastation wrought on the two families concerned, it serves to illustrate that robust procedures to govern the sensible use of mobile phones must be in place if companies are going to protect themselves from potentially damaging negative publicity.

Duty of Care penalty

A whopping £30,000 fine has been levied on a vegetable wholesale company after one of its employees was killed in a road crash as a result of falling asleep at the wheel, due to working over long hours.

The successful prosecution was brought by the Health and Safety Executive after it was able to demonstrate that the company was not adequately monitoring its employees working hours and was subsequently failing in its duty of care towards them.

The company also had to pay out £24,000 in costs, making the total bill £54,000.

It is now quite conceivable that the same process could be applied if, say, an employee killed another road user whilst on the mobile phone and was able to demonstrate that there was no company policy in place that specifically disallowed the use of a phone whilst driving.

Fine for health & safety lapse

Staffordshire-based company Sandmaster Ltd. has been fined £20,000 plus £4,500 costs, following a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which caused the death of an employee in the company's yard, after he was struck by a skip lorry. HSE investigating inspector Andrew Bowker said, "It is vital that site and depot managers carry out risk assessment to identify potential dangers to workers and put adequate solutions in place.....it doesn't take a lot of organisation or money to put measures in place which can make a difference to people's working environment and even save lives."

At work crash stats

For the first time, the DfT has analysed the latest road collision statistics and identified the involvement of drivers who were 'at work' at the time.

It transpires that 54,935 at-work vehicles were involved in on-road incidents during 2005. This means that 15% of all vehicles involved in on-road incidents were being driven for work purposes, with a further 9% involved in journeys either to or from work premises.

The DfT also looked more closely at the causes of road incidents. As if we needed affirmation of our much emphasised 'See and be Seen' advice, 32% of all crashes were attributable to drivers 'failing to look properly'. Interestingly, only one in 20 collisions involved a driver exceeding the speed limit at the time.