We all hear about car, van and truck crashes every day.
But, vehicles don’t crash. People crash. they just happen to be in a car, van or truck at the time.
Statistically, 5 people will die on our roads each day.
Statistically, 50 to 60 people will be seriously injured, many with life-changing injuries.
But they’re not statistics. That’s 5 families devastated.
They’re not statistics. They’re someone’s mum, dad, son, daughter, brother or sister. They’re your neighbour, your colleague or your mate.
It’s simply unacceptable, but we can do something about this.
I want each of us to find the enthusiasm to start driving change in our own organizations, with our own colleagues, friends and family.
And it’s not just about your own fleet. You may be running a good car, van and truck fleet but what about your supply chain, contractors, etc.
I’m always puzzled by the number or organisations who have mature, robust health and safety commitments and processes, and who manage risk within their offices, construction sites, production and storage facilities really well but don’t seem to get that their moral and, indeed, legal responsibilities extend to the road.
Health & Safety legislation is very clear. It’s clear that your duties, both at a corporate level and personal level, extend to all areas of activity and they’re equally clear that they extend to your suppliers, contractors and supply chain.
And that’s where we can really make a change.
So many vehicles are driven for work. Over half of all registered vehicles in the UK are driven for work in come capacity and, if you looked at any busy piece of motorway during a normal working day, it would likely be way more – 60%? 70% 80%?
If they’re driven for work, we can influence choices and behaviours in exactly the same way we would in any other area of our operations.
So, let’s use our positions to influence and mandate behaviours and choices through our employer/employee relationships, through our relationships with suppliers and contractors and supply chains.
We can, should and must drive change together.
The call to action – the clarion call – is clear.
Manage your own fleets, including grey fleet, brilliantly.
Engage with your procurement team to ensure your suppliers, contractors and supply chain are in no doubt about their responsibilities and your expectations.
Inspire your health and safety colleagues to apply their talent, expertise and energy to road risk across your organisation including supply chain.
And we, as National Highways, the Commercial Vehicle Incident Prevention team and Driving for Better Business are here to help.
Through Driving for Better Business, we have an amazing range of support materials all available completely free from our award-winning Van Driver Toolkit with ready-made toolbox talks and template policies, to the use of our Wheelright tyre monitoring tech, to our CALMDriver suicide prevention materials and much more.
This is the start of a journey, come with us!
This is personal.
Mark Cartwright
Head of Commercial Vehicle Incident Prevention
National Highways
