The call comes from road safety charity Brake, which has teamed up with Licence Bureau to publish today (15th October) a new report showing that many companies with staff who drive for work don't have good practice procedures to protect people on foot and bike:
- More than half (54%) don't provide driver education on protecting pedestrians and cyclists;
- Two-thirds (68%) don't instruct drivers to slow down to 20mph around schools, homes and shops;
- Six in 10 (61%) don't instruct drivers on looking twice and checking mirrors at junctions for cyclists or motorcyclists;
- Nine in 10 (89%) don't plan routes to avoid schools and residential areas;
- Eight in 10 (80%) don't use blind spot sensors and seven in 10 (70%) don't use blind spot cameras on large commercial vehicles;
- Almost half (45%) don't use telematics to monitor driver speed, so have no way of knowing if drivers are routinely endangering others by driving too fast.
The survey included 228 companies operating commercial vehicles, company cars or vans, or with employees who drive their own vehicles to business appointments.
Brake advises employers with staff who drive for work to take a range of steps to protect our most vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, who account for 59% of UK road deaths and serious injuries. These steps include thorough journey planning, driver education, making use of technology to minimise blindspots and monitor speed, and building a culture of always putting safety first. See more advice below.
Employers can access Brake's expert guidance by ordering a copy of the report, which includes advice for companies, and becoming a member of Brake Professional at www.brakepro.org/survey2014pt2.
Brake is also encouraging employers to sign up now to take part in Road Safety Week, 17-23 November, coordinated by Brake, which will focus on the theme “look out for each other”. Companies that register at www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk get a free pack of resources to help them promote safe driving messages.
