RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

January 6, 2005
SPEED AND MOBILE PHONE POLICIES FOR COMPANY DRIVERS

RoSPA has published new policies to help employers tackle the controversial issues of dealing with employees who drive too fast or use mobile phones at the wheel.

Driving is the most dangerous work activity that most people undertake. About 20 people are killed and 250 are seriously injured every week in crashes involving someone who was driving, riding or otherwise using the road for work purposes.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has led the campaign to highlight the risks faced by company car and van drivers and others who are on the road as part of their job.

Pressure of business can make workers more likely to speed or to make calls while on the move. RoSPA’s new publications Driving for Work: Safer Speed Policy and Driving for Work: Mobile Phones have been produced with the support of the Department for Transport to help bosses deal with the problems.

Kevin Clinton, RoSPA Head of Road Safety, said: “Company car drivers often exceed speed limits in order to get to appointments on time, are less likely to view speeding as risky and more likely to think that being on time is more important. Company car drivers and people who drive high annual mileages for work are up to 50 per cent more likely to crash than private motorists.

“Research shows that using hand-held or hands-free phones while driving is a significant distraction and substantially increases the risk of the driver crashing. High mileage company car drivers are more likely than most to use a mobile phone while driving.

“If we are to reduce the number of work-related road accidents, it is vital that employers play their part by having policies in place to deal with managing occupational road risk, including tackling inappropriate speed and mobile phone use.

“These two documents will give employers an ideal starting point by providing ‘model’ policies for them to adapt for their own use.”

They are available from the Road Safety Department, RoSPA, 353 Bristol Road, Birmingham B5 7ST, or can be downloaded from RoSPA’s website at www.rospa.com/roadsafety. They deal with issues such as consulting staff, raising awareness, accident recording and investigation, liaising with police and leading by example. The documents complement RoSPA’s Driving for Work: Safer Journey Planner published last year.