RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

April 10, 2007
NEW GUIDE TO KEEP VOLUNTEERS SAFE ON THE ROAD

RoSPA has launched a new handbook to help volunteer drivers avoid accidents and injuries to themselves, their passengers and other road users.

The Volunteer Driver’s Handbook offers advice and reassurance to the thousands of community-spirited people who give their time and services freely to voluntary organisations.

Driving is the most dangerous activity that the majority of people do and the risks tend to be greater when driving for work than for private reasons. It is thought that up to a third of all crashes involve somebody who is at work at the time.

Voluntary organisations, like businesses, have a duty of care under health and safety law to ensure the safety of their staff (including volunteers), passengers and anyone else affected by their activities. They should have policies in place to make sure that risks are properly identified and managed.

The new handbook has sections on key driving issues including journey planning, fitness to drive (including the effects of drink, medicines and fatigue), safe speed, seatbelts, distraction (including from mobile phones), vehicle safety and emergency procedures.

It is designed to be interactive, and encourages volunteer drivers to check the detail of their organisation’s road risk policies and write them in the spaces provided. It is also small enough to be carried in a vehicle’s glove compartment.

Duncan Vernon, RoSPA Road Safety Officer, said: “The new handbook gives volunteer drivers something they can easily refer to so they can see what their organisation is doing to keep them safe on the road.

“It gives information on some key issues that volunteer drivers need to be aware of such as the use of mobile phones at the wheel and keeping passengers safe. We hope it will be a useful tool for volunteers and their organisations to work through together.

“Many organisations are only now realising the need to manage road risk and we understand that they need support to do this. Our new handbook complements a manager’s guide on occupational road risk in voluntary organisations that was produced by RoSPA in 2003.”

Produced with the support of the Department for Transport, the Volunteer Driver’s Handbook has been sent to voluntary organisations and road safety officers. It is also available as a free download at www.rospa.com/roadsafety/info/volunteer_drivers.pdf