THE company for driver risk management

A VERY HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR READERS!

Those of you who already use or are expecting to use our range of off-road training facilities may be interested to learn that many of our courses will now be made available from Donington Park Circuit; we’ll look forward to welcoming you there!

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100 WORDS ABOUT DRIVE & SURVIVE

Our Driver Risk Management Programme will reduce fleet running costs, assist with employee duty of care compliance and avoid the potentially negative impact on company reputation of a serious road incident.

We optimise budgets by assessing need first and then only targeting practical training towards those who need it most – the ‘at risk’ drivers – and offer palatable, cost effective online E-Learning modules or entertaining, absorbing Workshops for the remainder.

We also support our customers with the provision of licence checking, policy guidance, detailed management information and various communications materials. We provide a wide range of specialist driving courses and can also deliver effective driving-orientated events.

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DRIVERS URGED TO MAKE PLEDGE TO LOWER SAFETY RISK

Fleet managers should encourage their drivers to sign safety pledges before the Corporate Manslaughter Act comes into force later in the year.

A number of large companies, including BT and Wolseley, have already asked their drivers to sign such documents, showing they have been through a driver training programme and agree to abide by the rules of the road and drive sensibly.

While driver pledges are primarily designed to help engage drivers during the training process, they also offer a double benefit by providing legal protection to organisations in the event of a health and safety investigation.

For any organisation that runs its vehicle fleet professionally and proficiently there really is nothing to worry about. The main thing is to have effective, enforceable policies in place, which are monitored and then acted upon in the event of any transgressions. An auditable trail of actions is vital to provide evidence, should the police ever come knocking on the door.

A properly deployed driver risk management programme should at the very least be self funding, in terms of the insurance, fuel and other running costs savings that should be a welcome by-product of the scheme.  It will also give peace of mind that you are doing everything practical to comply with your duty of care towards your staff, your customers and your supply chain, as well as safeguard a priceless commodity………….brand reputation and good will.

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FOREIGN LGV DRIVERS

Following an article that appeared recently, Fleet News reported a fall in the number of foreign LGV accidents. ‘Side swipe’ crashes involving trucks that change lanes and strike a vehicle traveling alongside have been significantly reduced following a trial of window-mounted mirrors.

There was a 59% reduction in such accidents following the distribution of 40,000 Fresnel lenses to left hand drive lorries entering the UK from Dover ferry port. The Highways Agency will now distribute a further 90,000 lenses at major ports in England and France.

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SAFE DRIVING FOR LIFE CONSULTATION

 Plans for the forthcoming consultation exercise on Safe Driving for Life.

Last year, the DSA shared their expectations with the driver training community, to formally commence consultation regarding 'Safe Driving for Life' in November 2007.

However, the launch date for the consultation has still not yet been agreed with Ministers. The content of the consultation is still being refined.

A DSA spokesperson has said: "It would be premature to try to give an accurate picture of what the consultation paper may look like. A lot of work is being carried out and the findings will inform the consultation paper. Nothing is ruled in or out at the moment, and everyone will have the opportunity to put forward their view when the final paper is released".

Mark Railton-Edwards, Head of Training and Product at Drive & Survive, with over 20 years experience in innovation in all areas of driver training was interviewed by the DSA team in November and made some fundamental observations and suggestions as to how the whole training and ‘testing’ regime needed to be re-worked.

The DSA are currently rescheduling a launch date for the consultation and are predicting it is likely to be early in 2008.

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MOBILE PHONE LAW FACT FILE

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THE COUNTDOWN

Our good friends at the Fleet Support Group are keen to remind readers of the fast-approaching changes in legislation due in April.

View/download intro

View/download checklist

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ANOTHER IRRESISTABLE OFFER

On a car allowance or cash for car scheme? How about this great deal from our friends at AFL.

Call AFL on 0800 458 0113, ask for Laura and quote Drive & Survive offer. If you enter into an agreement with AFL, you'll receive £25 in M&S vouchers!

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STAFF SPOTLIGHT

In this edition the Spotlight falls on Sue Lacey!

How long with Drive & Survive? I have been with Drive & Survive for almost 4 Years.
Job function: .Accounts Assistant
Any amusing instances whilst at work? None that I can recall. (you can sense the dry humour here – ed)
Home town: Chipping Norton
Where were you born? West Ham – yes and guess what, I married the other West Ham supporter.
Brothers/sisters: I have an eccentric, gadget-mad elder brother 
Mother’s occupation?  Mostly saying, “Wait ‘til your father gets home!”
Father’s occupation?  Mostly saying, “What have you done now, Susan?!”
Partner’s name? Phil
Do you have children, if so how many and names?  Phil and I have one cool dude of a teenage son named Mark who takes environmental issues very seriously and does his bit by saving water.
Hobbies/interests: Apart from nagging my son to do his washing, I am also involved in setting up the Midlands Late Starters String Orchestra, which will be having its first playing day on Saturday 29th March in Stratford Upon Avon.
Do you speak any foreign languages?  The universal language of music.
Do you play any musical instruments? I have played the piano since I was a child and having taken up the Cello about six years ago have recently achieved my long held ambition to play in an orchestra. 
Favourite film? Airplane
Favourite music/band? Black Sabbath?  I can’t help but admire the music of Bach and Beethoven, but then I am quite old!
Favourite food? Anything I haven’t had to slave away in the kitchen and cook myself.
Favourite shop? Blackwells Music Shop
Favourite sport? This has to be football because I so admire the player’s gentile art of spitting, gesturing and quaint use of language.  The pretty coloured cards are nice too.
Do you watch or take part in the above?  Yes, that is when I am not playing for my local rugby team.
Location of your last holiday? Venice
Your dream holiday location? With my musical friends in Yorkshire on our annual string orchestra holiday.
Your favourite city visited so far? At the risk of repetition it has to be Venice again.
Favourite TV programme? This is definitely the “Black Adder Goes Forth” series and it is not because Baldrick is so handsome, the uniforms or indeed the moustaches but simply the excellent writing.
Favourite book? My favourite book at the moment is entitled “Spitfire Women of World War II” and is about the unsung heroines who flew unarmed and without instruments or radios ferrying Spitfires, Hurricanes and Lancasters to RAF bases for the men to fly into battle
What newspaper do you read? I prefer the large broadsheets because they soak up water so much more efficiently.
What car do you normally drive?  I normally drive a silver one, which has pretty fleck upholstery, and plain built in units.
Do you think the motorway speed limit should be raised? Yes but only if our reaction time can be raised as well, which in my case is very unlikely.
Do you think raising the driving age limit from 17 to 18 will help?  Since my son had a nasty accident as a cyclist I am not entirely convinced that raising the age limit is necessarily the safest solution.  After all, if 17 year olds are not having accidents driving a car, then one might assume that they will be having them on motorbikes or cycles.
Do you agree with pay-per-mile road pricing if road tax was abolished? This seems to be favoured by many road users and certainly appears to be a fairer system of taxation.
What aspect of bad driving most annoys you? It really irritates me when I see smiley, courteous, considerate, polite drivers giving way to others, after all why can’t they be like the rest of us and ignore other road users!

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