FAQ
Q: I carry out yearly licence checks on those employees who
drive on company business. Isn't that sufficient to cover my obligations?
A:
Whilst it is a good idea to ensure that anybody driving on company business
has a valid and appropriate licence, this may not be sufficient in the
eyes of the law if one of your drivers was involved in a serious accident.
In any case, a casual visual check of the licence cannot be relied on.
Q: We no longer have any company cars as such. We operate a
cash for car scheme, so drivers source their own vehicles and insurance
cover. Surely their safety is then their concern and theirs alone?
A:
It is widely accepted by health and safety professionals that a duty
of care stills exists in situations where 'cash for car' employees
drive on company business. To ensure that you are protected, they should
be incorporated into a driver risk management programme in just the
same way as those driving company-provided vehicles.
Q: I know that we should have driver and vehicle policies in
place but I do not know where to start with this.
A: You
have started you are reading this! T2Us can give you the steer you
need to ensure you have a comprehensive road safety policy that benefits
your business and your drivers.
Q: I cannot afford to have my sales force tied up with re-training
rather than out there selling.
A: You do not have to opt
for on-road training for all your staff unless they are all at high
risk. Many driver risk management solutions are electronic these days
and very cost effective.You can determine the frequency of any sessions
and the duration .
Q: I have a mixture of cars, vans and trucks. Will I be able
to find a supplier which can cope with a fleet of this composition?
A:
Yes, And we can show you how to find organisations that can deal with
a fleet as diverse as described
Q: I am responsible for our company's fleet but I have no formal
fleet management qualifications. I am worried that I may not be in
a position to ask the right questions if I'm considering embarking
on a driver risk management programme.
A:We will advise
you and as you compile a road safety policy you will see that a lack
of qualifications is no barrier to devising a road safety policy. You
will be guided through the process. We will put you at your ease, after
all you are doing something positive about a matter you know cannot
be left ignored.
Q: What sort of guarantee do I have that any programme I agree
to will actually work?
A: To be honest we cannot guarantee
anything because we are dealing principally with human behavioural
issues here It is however important to remember that occupational driver
safety improvement is not something you can switch on and off in an
arbitrary way. True benefits will only come over time, where the process
becomes ingrained in the organisation's culture .
Q: If we implement a driver risk management programme I am
convinced that I will meet resistance from the workforce. What can
be done to help me combat this?
A: A crucial part of any
driver risk management programme is communication. Your drivers need
to understand the extent of the problem you are facing as a business
and the reasons why you have implemented the programme. They also need
to know exactly what will happen during the process and what is in
it for them. A positive message and allay any fears that drivers might
have and when they have had some in car tuition the remaining concerns
should be overcome.
Q: I have heard that, if we implement a driver risk management
programme, my company's insurance premiums will drop. Is this true?
A:
In the current insurance market we cannot guarantee that premiums will
actually drop but all insurers recognise the potential long term value
of driver risk management. What you will find is that you will be negotiating
insurance terms from a position of strength and you should certainly
experience a much slower rise in insurance costs than you otherwise
would if you had no such programme in place.
Q: I recognise that, by implementing a programme of driver
risk management, incident rates and direct costs will almost certainly
drop but are there other benefits that we can expect too?
A:
Most certainly. You should notice a marked reduction in overall fleet
running costs. Because drivers should have a much improved awareness
of the risk they are exposed to, their concentration, anticipation
and observations skills will be significantly sharpened, and this will
have important knock on effects. Fuel consumption should drop; tyres,
brakes and suspension components should last longer; wheel rims and
trims are less likely to be damaged; drivers also have pride in their
enhanced abilities and skills, and this is reflected in the way they
care for their vehicle. Also, most employees recognise that you, as
an employer, are implementing the programme because you are concerned
about their welfare - this has a positive effect on morale.
T2Us: 2 Puttney Drive Sittingbourne Kent ME10 2SJ
Free phone 0800 43 46 119
www.t2usfleettraining.co.uk
enquiries@t2usfleettraining.co.uk
Everything happens for a reason! |
