Driving for Better Business

53% reduction in collisions Fleet maintenance costs reduced by 35% year on year 30% fewer vehicles needed (48 vehicles down to 34) year on year 12.5% year-on-year decrease in insurance premiums 19% fuel saving year on year As well as the substantial benefits listed above, the company has also seen other financial, cultural and social benefits from its safety work including: 9.5% cut in emissions Better staff wellbeing, greater staff engagement and better productivity. There has been a 7% reduction in staff turnover, and a reduction in sickness rates. A greater sense of involvement and ownership has improved team members’ performance with customers and during delivery and installation, not just on the road. More reliable vehicles with less off-road time has improved customer service. Less VOR has also minimised courier costs. Management time has been freed up from dealing with vehicle damage and disruption from collisions to focus on more beneficial things.

All the policies are kept in SharePoint, so can be accessed by any staff member at any time. Any changes are communicated to staff each year at a toolbox talk. More broadly says Ben: “Every morning, we start our meetings with a Safety Tip, Quality Tip, and a Success Story. For example: ‘Safety Tip: Reduce vehicle speed in wet conditions to avoid hydroplaning. Quality Tip Check all tools against the checklist before leaving the yard. Success Story: We successfully completed the Longstone Manor installation yesterday.’” A weekly toolbox talk focuses on key issues, and each week Ben also shares the reports on driver telematics data. Finally the meeting will compare current monthly stats to the same period last year, charting progress in collision reduction, and also operational targets. Ben says:  “All these things make sure that we engage the team daily, call out the successes of their performance and provide reminders of how to remain safe and further improve. Create a robust driving for work policy with our Driving for Work Policy Builder

The company’s policy lays out exactly what is expected of drivers, in a wide variety of circumstances. It covers safe driving, activities to avoid while driving or in the vehicle, such as taking phone calls, eating or smoking, how to respond in an emergency or breakdown, alcohol and drug use and vehicle roadworthiness. However the policy also makes it clear that drivers (and by extension their managers) must consider whether a journey is necessary, how far and by what route they are travelling, and to manage their fatigue levels. A minimum of two-hourly rest breaks are stipulated, along with maximum daily driving time, but the driver is expected to tell their manager if they need another break, or overnight accommodation. David Phillips’ therefore uses the policy to make the organisations legal responsibilities clear, and how it intends to fulfil them; but also the driver’s legal responsibilities. Benjamin Palmer, Business Change & ESG Data Manager at David Phillips has ownership of the document, and makes sure that it is regularly reviewed, and that version control is exercised, so all drivers have the most recent edition.

Near-miss reporting allowed the company to analyse and address issues which could cause collisions, before a crash occurred. This also had the benefit of directly engaging drivers in the safety process and allowing their insights to shape outcomes. Banksman and drivers’ mates reduce the risk of collision during slow speed vehicle manoeuvres. The company has deployed Vue driver behaviour monitoring system, which helped them to track and used to track and incentivise safe driving habits. Driver score boards were used to foster friendly competition and promote risk awareness. This also meant the company could recognise positive driving behaviour, rather than simply focus on the negative. Recognising and rewarding exemplary performance is integral to its approach, with Driver of the Month accolades and annual awards for top-performing drivers.

“At our organisation, managing driver risk is integral to our corporate values of integrity, ambition, customer obsession, creativity, teamwork and productivity. Integrity means prioritising the safety of our team and communities. Ambition drives continuous improvement in safety standards, while our customer obsession ensures timely and satisfactory service delivery. We have driven safety initiatives like the DriveSafe Project through creativity and teamwork. We’ve enhanced productivity by minimising collisions and downtime. Managing driver risk aligns with our values, safeguarding lives, and reinforcing our dedication to excellence in service and safety.” Benjamin Palmer, Business Change & ESG Data Manager

Survey uncovers UK employers are risking the safety and well-being of those who drive for work . Study of 1,006 UK employees and 255 C-Suite (Executive Directors) highlights failures by UK bosses to implement driving for work policy.

Dr Gemma Briggs discusses research on the distraction imposed on drivers by mobile phone use, which can help to explain both how and why driving performance deteriorates. Her talk will consider how this research can: – Help those who drive for work, or employ drivers, understand specific issues with phone use – Be used to create evidence-based education for use in the workplace – Be best communicated to drivers in an attempt to achieve behaviour change. This session was recorded at The Health & Safety Event 2022 and features Dr Gemma Briggs – Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Open University

Transport firm has is O Licence revoked and is forced to close after driver caused death of cyclist by careless driving.

This session was recorded at The Health & Safety Event 2021 and features Dr Paul Jackson - Director, Fresh Air Training

Driver Medicals – what do you need to know? The aim of this article is to provide clarity on exactly what a D4 medical is, its importance for drivers and those who manage drivers, and tips for fleet professionals and driver managers to share on how their drivers can stay healthy in preparation for their next one.

This session was recorded at The Health & Safety Event 2021 and features Stephen Dethick - National Training Manager, Driver Hire Training

We will be presenting three days of expert opinion, good practice and thought leadership in the Driver Safety Zone at the Health & Safety Event 2022. It’s a vital update for safety professionals. The videos will be available after the event and you can sign up to receive those here.