Driving for Better Business

Did you know?

• Tailgating is one of the causes of road rage and police have powers to issue on the spot fixed penalties for inconsiderate lane use (including hogging the middle lane).
• Penalties range from a fine of £100 and 3 penalty points to a driving ban or prison sentence, depending on the seriousness of the offence.
• A driver should not use their horn in a built-up area between 11:30pm and 07:00am.

Patience is important and drivers should always keep calm. Looking far enough ahead and anticipating traffic manoeuvres provides careful drivers with more time to react accordingly. Eating, drinking and reading maps and guides should be carried out only when... Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.  

Did you know?

• It is an offence to drive having over the specified limits of certain drugs in the blood.
• The penalty for causing death by dangerous driving under the influence of drugs is a prison sentence of up to 14 years.
• Driving while impaired by drugs is thought to be a major contributor to death and injury on the roads.

Drugs that act on the central nervous system can impair many functions associated with individuals’ abilities to drive safely. 43.6% of fatally injured drivers each year test positive for drugs and over 50% of those are positive for two or more drugs. Drug driving puts people at a higher risk for..   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• There are 7 main government bodies responsible for road safety.
• It is an offence not to stop when asked to do so by the Police and drivers face an unlimited fine, community order or up to 6 months’ imprisonment and 3 – 9 penalty points or disqualification from driving.
• DVSA officers wear yellow visibility jackets with either the VOSA or DVSA logo and always carry a DVSA warrant card.

The police and DVSA have the power to carry out spot checks on vehicles and issue prohibitions if necessary. When stopping vehicles, DVSA use marked cars. They can stop any vehicle on the road. Drivers should be wary of bogus DVSA officers trying to...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• Drivers can be fined up to £1,000 if they do not inform DVLA about a medical condition that affects their driving.
• It is an offence for drivers to refuse to submit to an eyesight test when requested to by the police.
• Drivers may be prosecuted if involved in an accident because of their known medical condition.

The Road Traffic Act 1988 creates the offence of driving with ‘uncorrected defective eyesight’ and drivers could be prosecuted if they drive without meeting the standards of vision for driving. Before driving any vehicle, the driver is legally required to...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• Weight, driving style and maintenance all affect a van’s fuel economy.
• An unnecessary 45kg in the vehicle reduces mpg by 1%.
• Engine idling can have a significant impact on vehicle’s fuel economy.
• Excessive speed is the biggest fuel-guzzling factor.

The heavier a van, the more fuel it requires to move so consider whether everything being carried is essential. Regular maintenance and servicing will improve the efficiency of a vehicle and improve...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• For road traffic collisions, details should be exchanged with all parties involved.
• If details are not exchanged, this should be done as soon as reasonably practicable, within 24 hours or reported to the Police.
• Drivers face a fine up to £5,000 and up to 10 penalty points on their licence, a potential driving ban and a prison sentence of up to 6 months for failing to stop or report an accident or collision.

It is an offence under Section 170 Road Traffic Act 1988 to fail to stop at the scene of an accident. Drivers must report any work-related road collision, incident or near miss in which they are involved, or witness and co-operate with...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know? With more than 4 million vans registered in the UK, it is a common misconception that there is no legislation governing van drivers and van operations. Due to their size and weight, vans can be driven and used for anything – right? Wrong, in fact very wrong. With an increase of roadside stops for vans and the average fine per offence in the region of £972, it doesn’t take long for van drivers and owners to figure out that vans which don’t comply with the rules, regulations, standards and procedures can be a costly experience in fines, let alone additional costs for recovery and repair. To help with making our roads safer and more pleasant places to travel on, a series of driver information cards have been produced to assist van drivers and fleet operators in... Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• A driver can be fined up to £300 or get a court summons if their van exceeds its maximum permitted axle weight.
• Exceeding the manufacturer’s load limit can put serious strain on the vehicle and may invalidate insurance cover.
• Overloaded vans are a common issue in the UK – 89% of vans stopped by DVSA are overloaded.

It’s easy to overload the front axle of a van by removing load from behind the back axle. Think of it like a seesaw! It is the responsibility of a van driver to stay within the weight limits. When loading a van, it is not the size of the boxes/load or how full the van is that matters – it is the weight of... Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• 56% of van drivers consider themselves overweight.
• 70% of van drivers say work pressures severely impact their ability to drink enough water and have a healthy diet.
• Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK, with 1 man dying every two hours.

  Nutrition 27% of van drivers rely solely on sugary drinks or caffeine to get them through the day. Only 76% of drivers take a lunch break and 41% eat their lunch in their van. 37% eat at least 1 portion of fruit or vegetables during the working day. The recommended fluid intake per day for is 2.5 litres for men and 2 litres for women...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• More than four million journeys are made on the strategic road network each day. On average, Highways England record around 196,000 breakdowns per year (536 each day).
• The most common breakdowns are related to tyres, overheating, electrical problems and running out of fuel.

If your vehicle develops a problem or if you break down on the motorway:

1. Put your LEFT indicators on.
2. Move into the LEFT lane.
3. Exit LEFT at the next junction/services, or
4. Exit left into an emergency area or hardshoulder.
5. Put your hazard lights on.
6. Get behind a safety barrier and keep well away from moving traffic.
7. Call Highways England on 0300 123 5000 then a breakdown provider for help.

If you cannot do the above, or in an emergency...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• The speed limit on a motorway is 70 mph (where national speed limit applies). Large vehicles and vehicles towing trailers have a speed limit of 60mph unless other limits are shown.
• If caught speeding on a motorway, a driver could be fined up to £2,500.
• The Red X is there for your safety and means an incident has occurred ahead. Driving under a red X sign is illegal and could result in an automatic £100 fine and 3 penalty points.

When there are three or more lanes, certain kinds of vehicles can never use the right-hand lane. These include vehicles with trailers, speed-limited goods vehicles between... Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• In 2019, there were 60 fatalities involving vans and vulnerable road users.
• 62% of cyclists killed or seriously injured were involved in collisions at, or near, a road junction.
• Post collision, drivers could face financial claims from a vulnerable road user covering their loss of wages, medical expenses and any recovery treatment.

Drivers should take extra care to avoid collisions with vulnerable road users, because a pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist, or horse rider will always come off worse than them. Drivers should check...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.