RoSPA Press Office : Press Release
Embargo to January 26, 1999
COMPANIES CAN HELP CUT SPEEDING DEATHS - RoSPA
COMMENT ON NEW GOVERNMENT SPEED CAMPAIGN
Bosses were urged today to play their part in the new "kill your speed campaign" by giving employees more realistic schedules when driving for business.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents believes many company car and van drivers break speed limits to cram in as many calls as possible during a day.
The Society says that if managers in charge of company car and van drivers set more realistic work schedules, it could have a significant impact on road casualty figures.
RoSPA Road Safety Adviser, Dave Rogers, said: "Far too many companies and organisations abdicate responsibility for the safety of employees who are driving as part of their job.
"Once a rep or delivery person has driven out of the factory or office gates they forget about them until they return.
"Asking people to drive long distances, or fit in an excessive amount of calls during a day, is more likely to lead to them speeding. Employers must start thinking about safer routes, sensible mileage and call schedules, if we are to reduce the number of accidents involving people driving as part of their job. It’s all about improving the road safety culture."
RoSPA believes that people driving for work are likely to be linked with around a quarter of Britain’s 3,600 annual road deaths. Driving too fast is said to be the biggest single cause of road accidents.
RoSPA Occupational Safety Adviser, Roger Bibbings, said: "Companies should have the right policies, people and procedures in place to manage risk on the road as part of health and safety at work. They should insist that their drivers keep within the speed limit, and should make regular checks on employees’ licences so that they know if they are picking up points for speeding."
RoSPA is running conferences, sponsored by Zurich, on Managing Occupational Road Risk in Glasgow on March 24, Birmingham on May 12 and London on September 1.
