Two young women in car driving

12 golden safety rules

2 min to readDriver Safety
More than 1.35 million people die in road traffic accidents each year worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In fact, traffic injuries are now the leading killer of people aged between 5 and 29, including a disproportionate number of pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists – especially in developing countries.
Share this

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 . Excessive speed is the main factor in 30% of fatal accidents, while distraction causes 10-30% of road deaths. Equally worrying is the fact that 25% of all road fatalities in Europe are alcohol-related. Road safety is a shared societal responsibility, and influencing the behaviour of road users – including pedestrians and cyclists – offers by far the biggest potential for improving road safety. Here are 12 simple steps all drivers can take to help make the world’s roads safer.

12 steps to make the world’s roads safer

1: Belt up

Always ensure all passengers (front and back) as well as the driver are wearing their seat belt.

2: Move up

Headrests must be in the correct position to be effective.

3: Slow up

Abide by all speed limits and only overtake if it is safe to do so.

4: Back up

Keep a safe distance from the car in front.

5: Wise up

Drive according to the conditions, especially in bad weather.

6: Check up

Brakes, tyres and lights all need checking periodically to make sure they are working.

7: Wake up

Take a break every 2 hours and ensure you rest for a total of at least 11 hours in any 24-hour period.

8: Shut up

Activate the driving mode on your mobile phone.

9: Look up

For people on bikes, scooters and on foot.

10: Sober up

Just say no to alcohol and drugs.

11: Buck up

Keep yourself alert yet calm at all times while driving.

12: Sharpen up

Wear glasses/lenses if your eyesight is poor.

SafePlan Zero

LeasePlan aims to make its fleet the safest in the industry by working towards zero serious road-traffic injuries by 2030. SafePlan Zero includes content, tools, guidelines and reports on the three major safety areas: the driver, the vehicle and fleet management. For more information, please contact us at minbil@leaseplan.se or 08-470 26 00.

Published at 30 June 2020
Was this article helpful?

30 June 2020
Share this

Related articles

Driver Safety
Drive safely into autumn08 September 2023 - 3 min to read
Driver Safety
Why road safety matters17 May 2021 - 1 min to read
Fleet Management
2 immediate steps companies can take to reduce the impact of coronavirus on their fleet27 March 2020 - 2 min to read