Mark Cartwright, head of commercial vehicle incident prevention unit at National Highways, ponders how slogans on moving vehicles could be more effective.
Long motorway journeys can be dull, so it’s a personal – and professional interest of mine – to check the visible signs of poor or outstanding operation of commercial vehicles. As part of that process, it’s often mildly entertaining to read the slogans on HGVs and vans. Who doesn’t enjoy puzzling over “For all your egg solutions” or better still “Eat more chips” when moseying down the motorways of around the country?
Some of the biggest household names have messages about carbon footprint, animal welfare and care of our planet on their haulage vehicles. As well as being thought-provoking, these comments demonstrate a commitment to operating responsibly and, being highly visible, they are seen by millions of road users every year. But it got me thinking: would any haulage company use its mobile message boards to signal that it takes road safety seriously? To remind all road users that, on average, every single day, five lives are lost on our roads? That it’s up to every one of us to make sure that everyone gets home safe and well?
I’m sure all readers of Van Fleet World will have vehicles, drivers and processes in lace that are compliant and manage risk well. But, in the world of risk management, there’s too much emphasis on the stick rather than the carrot: the fines, penalties and prosecutions. Commitment to reducing risk can become just a tick sheet unless there’s real dedication to operating to the highest standards to safety.
Driving for work is statistically the most dangerous activity most employees undertake. Up to a third of all road traffic collisions involve someone who is driving for work at the time – accounting for more than 500 fatalities (four times the 135 RIDDOR-reportable workplace fatalities during 2022/23) and almost 40,000 injuries each year. An adult of working age has something like a one in 25,000 chance of dying as a result of a crash in the next year; compare that to the one in 43m chance of winning the lottery and I think that gives some perspective.
When you look at it from that point of view, reaching for a tick-box exercise when it involves real people starts to feel inadequate.
Next steps to safety
So what can we each do to make things even better for 2025? First things first – make sure your managed fleet (with company logos proudly on display) is operated brilliantly. Adopt the same approach when it comes to your ‘difficult’ fleet – those driving company cars and their own cars for work are still your responsibility.
Outside of your own operation, it pays to expect the same high standards of your suppliers. And the same goes for their supply chain. In short, it’s time to wake up to the cost to potential damage to your reputation if one of your company vehicles is involved in a serious collision – never mind the impact on bottom line and business continuity.
Your liveried vehicles are out on the road. Slogans, whether they are worthy, witty or downright baffling, are there for all to see and can liven up the dullest journey. Your vehicles are a highly visible manifestation of your company and what it stands for.
So ask yourself: would you – or your company lawyers or PR advisors – have the confidence for the slogan on your HGV or van to declare your commitment to the safety of every road user?