The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the importance of having safer and cleaner mobility and streets. These are urgent for public health, our climate, and the wellbeing of the most vulnerable members of our society. With this in mind, this year’s UN Global Road Safety Week is encouraging lower speed limits in areas where people and traffic mix. Under the hashtag #Love30, the UN is urging cities, towns and villages to set speed limits of 30 km/h to help make their streets safer and more liveable.
How can you help?
As an employer, you are responsible for the health and safety of your employees. It is your duty to evaluate all the risks your employees may be exposed to and put in place preventive and protective measures. Vehicles are classified as a ‘workplace’ in many countries, so companies must view fleet safety as an essential consideration [ii].
Here a few steps to consider:
1. Make driver safety a top priority
When it comes to company car drivers, driver safety is key. According to research, the crash and casualty rate of company car drivers is around 50% higher than for private motorists. Furthermore, over 90% of all accidents are caused by driver error, such as poor anticipation, inappropriate reaction to a hazard, or violation of road traffic laws [i]. There are many advantages to making drivers' health and safety a top priority. Safer driving (and fewer accidents) can help reduce costs related to insurance premiums, sick leave, damages and repairs. Companies can do a lot to encourage drivers to respect speed limits and make sure they always put their phones away while driving.
2. Have your fleet insurance and accident data assessed
One of the ways your company can ensure better road safety is by reporting road safety incidents and using these insights to drive the number of fleet accidents down. That’s where LeasePlan can step in to help via a dedicated safety improvement process. The first step is to assess our clients’ insurance fleet strategy and their specific challenges when dealing with accidents and vehicle damages. We start by capturing their data or looking at their claims and accident data on My Fleet reporting, and by performing a thorough root-cause analysis and benchmarking the results against their peers. Based on this, we can provide specific recommendations tailored to their situation.
3. Implement a fleet safety strategy
An effective fleet safety strategy ensures safer roads for all by actively looking to reduce the number of accidents. This can be achieved by implementing an accident prevention programme, which should include measures such as educating drivers about responsible and safety-conscious behaviour and making sure the vehicles they drive are safe. The figure below shows how a prevention programme can help improve safety in your fleet step by step:
4. Be a hero, aim for zero
At LeasePlan, we aim to make our fleet the safest in the industry and want to help accelerate change by calling for low-speed communities and by working towards zero road traffic injuries by 2030. Our SafePlan Zero strategy includes content, tools, guidelines and reports on the three major safety areas: the driver, the vehicle and fleet management. Join us in our journey to zero by learning more about the top driving risks and how to avoid them. Also check out our white paper on how an active fleet safety programme can contribute to a healthy business, and visit the UN’s Road Safety Week website for more information about the #Love30 campaign and what you can do locally to support it.
[i] https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/its/road_it
[ii] https://europa.eu/youreurope/business/human-resources/social-security-health/work-safety/index_en.htm