1. Managing road risk for SMEs
Produced by Brake, the road safety charity
Supported by the Department for Transport
Supporting

2. Why manage road risk?
At-work crashes cost UK employers c. £2.7bn a year
Is it your biggest risk and biggest hidden cost?
Could your company cope with fall-out of a major crash?
Save lives, cut costs, improve reputation and open up opportunities

3. Getting started, step 1 Assess and make business case:
Record crashes, bumps, scrapes
Analyse cost savings: reduced downtime, admin, insurance
Consider reputation and staff morale
Explore new business opportunities
Use Brake’s guide: the business case for fleet safety

4. Getting started, step 2 Write a policy:
Consider best practice examples
Consult managers, employees, trade unions, partners
Include statement of company’s commitment to road safety
Cover how you will safely manage drivers, vehicles, journeys

5. Getting started, step 3 Monitor performance:
Set targets – e.g. rate of incidents
Regular risk assessments
Benchmark
Aim for continuous improvement
Use fleetsafetybenchmarking.net

6. Managing drivers: awareness
95% of crashes due to driver error
Embed safety messages into internal communications, briefings, meetings – make clear it’s the priority
Use Brake’s Pledge: brakepro.org/makethepledge
Take part in a free Brake Pledge webinar brakepro.org/pledge

7. Managing drivers: recruitment
Detailed driver specification/position description
Comprehensive application form
Licence checking
At least three years’ driving experience
Two in-depth interviews with personnel and operations
At least two references
Assess pre-drive and in-vehicle skills, certificates, personality, knowledge, understanding of regulations
Eyesight and medical assessments on employment, repeated annually

8. Managing drivers: training
Priority
Driving profile
Suggested driver training options
High-risk
Drivers who:
drive more than 20,000 miles per annum
drive at night/early morning
acquire penalty points
are newly-qualified (especially year olds)
identified as high risk from psychometric risk assessment profiling
In-class driver awareness workshop followed by 1:1 driver coaching
Medium-risk
Drive less than 20,000 business miles per annum
In-class driver awareness workshop (small groups of up to 15), supplemented with eLearning
Low-risk
Drivers who make infrequent work-related journeys or very low mileage
Seminar style driver safety awareness briefing (large groups) and eLearning

9. Managing drivers: monitoring
Thorough reporting & analysis of crashes, bumps, scrapes
Use data to identify problems before they’re serious
Assess driver skills regularly, provide targeted training
Telematics can: record speeding, harsh acceleration and braking; aid safety management by providing data and evidence; potentially reduce incidents by 50% and save fuel
Use brakepro.org/fleetservicedirectory to find providers

10. Managing drivers case study: Peter’s Foods
Fleet of seven trucks, 130 vans and 50 cars
Uses fleet risk management software, licence checks and performance monitoring to identify risky drivers and sites
Saw a 40% decline in collisions

11. Managing vehicles: facts
Vehicle defects a factor in 2,000 crashes in 2013, including 42 fatal
Of 155,897 HGVs, trailers and PSVs checked at roadside by the DVSA in 2012, 28% had serious mechanical defects
85% of faults identified by DVSA could be spotted in a basic walk-round check
Early repairs can save money in long-run

12. Managing vehicles: common defects
HGVs:
Brake systems and components
Condition of tyres
Indicators and hazard warning
Trailers:
Brake systems and components
Suspension
Tyres
PSVs:
Seatbelts
Driver and passenger doors
Brake systems and components

13. Managing vehicles: policies
Ensure regular servicing and MOT
Use expert, qualified mechanics (e.g. IRTEC)
Ensure daily walk-round checks by drivers
Develop driver understanding of problem-spotting
Understand best practice through fors-online.org.uk and brakepro.org

14. Managing vehicles: walk-round checks
✔ tyres have tread well above legal minimum, right pressure, no bulges, cracks or worn patches ✔ mirrors and other blind spot aids ✔ wheel fixings free from dirt, with no damage ✔ wheel nut indicators are lined up
✔ steering and brakes working normally
✔ doors and loads are secure
✔ oil, water and other fluids such as power steering, windscreen washer, brake fluid are well above minimum
✔ lights, brake lights and indicators working
✔ wipers working

15. Managing vehicles case study: TMJ interiors
Bespoke joinery firm with 130 staff, three vehicles and 10 ‘grey fleet’ (staff-owned) vehicles
Told by a contractor they needed bronze FORS accreditation or would be turned away from site
Improved policies in line with best practice, increased driver awareness and buy-in
They achieved bronze, then silver, then gold: rare for an SME, giving them a USP

16. Managing journeys: facts
In 2013, 507 people on foot and bike were killed on UK roads
Reducing traffic and speed where people walk and cycle is key to reducing casualties and making communities more pleasant and less polluted
Slowing down to 20mph means your stopping distance is half that at 30mph, so going 20 in towns & villages helps protect people
Reducing unnecessary mileage saves fuel and time

17. Managing journeys: points to consider
If driving can be avoided using video conferencing or public transport
If multiple drops/visits can be grouped
Any flexibility in delivery/appointment times
Ways to avoid delays, eg at deliveries
Times to avoid, e.g. high-risk (night time, school run) and busy times
Impact of routing on safety & local communities
Order Brake’s ‘park the stress’ poster: brake.org.uk/shop

18. Managing journeys: routing
Minimise mileage if possible, but also…
Use motorways and trunk roads
Avoid towns and villages, schools and homes if possible (if not stipulate: ‘go 20’)
Avoid specific high-risk roads/junctions
Avoid congested routes
Use different routes at different times if appropriate
Use Brake’s report on protecting vulnerable road users

19. Managing journeys case study: Qdell couriers
10-12 courier vehicles and 150 driver-owned vehicles
Invested in technology, alternative fuels, more efficient vehicles, and employee training
Smarter driving means smoother journeys: it saved fuel and carbon emissions, increased customer satisfaction and reduced complaints

20. More info & advice Use Brake’s Pledge at brakepro.org/makethepledge
Free resources for SMEs at brakepro.org/smetoolkit, including Essential guide to fleet safety for SMEs
Join Brake Professional for access to more resources brakepro.org/join-brake
Get involved with the UK’s largest road safety event at roadsafetyweek.org.uk