• Reducing your fleet insurance by training your drivers to a higher standard?
• Reducing your fuel bills by up to 33%?
• Improving your public profile?
• Reducing your fleet maintenance bills?

As well as being a DSA approved driving instructor and qualified fleet consultant, I am an associate partner of Any Driver Limited which is one of the most successful driver training companies in the U.K. so you can be sure of the very best training possible.
 

The law

In April 2008 a new act called the corporate manslaughter and homicide act 2007 came in to affect. This means that companies and organisations can now be found guilty of corporate manslaughter if they are guilty of a gross breach of duty of care if a death occurs as a result of an employee’s action. In short companies now have a duty to ensure everyone who uses vehicles for business use are trained not only how to drive safely but also how to ensure that the vehicle they use is safe for use on the road.

A few facts

• In 1 year, 9 people a day die on British roads and 2 1/2 million people are caught speeding.
• Commercial vehicles make up over 7% of traffic on Britain's motorways and trunk roads. (Source VOSA)
• In 2008, 17,415 commercial vehicles were involved in accidents on Britain's roads. (Source VOSA)
• Also in 2008, 9% of fatalities on British roads involved HGVs. (Source VOSA)

• 65% of all road traffic accidents involve commercial vehicles.

The repercussions to your company or organisation

This new act is part of the employers obligations to ensure a safe environment for both employees and other parties. Below is a list of what a company could face if they are found guilty of corporate manslaughter.

• Companies who are found guilty of corporate manslaughter could face unlimited fines, remedial orders or publicity orders.
• Individuals within a company could face prosecution if sufficient evidence is found.

However, companies who take health and safety obligations seriously are not likely to be found guilty of breach of this legislation.

The benefits to your company or organisation

The benefits to companies and organisations is not just to protect themselves from the corporate manslaughter act but further training of your fleet drivers will have added benefits to both your company and your employees.

• Training your fleet drivers to a higher standard of driving will help reduce the number of accidents involving commercial vehicles which will help either lower insurance premium, level out or at least reduce the increase in annual premiums. Anyone with a UK provisional or full licence can take an NVQ in safe driving which can help with insurance discounts. (For further details email enquiries@drivingschoolinpoole.co.uk or see NVQ in safe driving)
• Improving your fleet drivers anticipation skills and to drive in a more environmentally friendly way, can help reduce fuel bills by up to 33%. (Source The AA)
• Helping to improve your driver’s attitude and to drive more considerately will help raise your company’s public profile.
• Training drivers to understand how to drive with a greater knowledge of car sympathy will reduce the wear and tear on a vehicle and reduce car maintenance and repair bills.

Why is there a need to improve my employees driving skills?

If you were to ask 100 people if they thought they were a good driver more than likely 90% of them would say that they were. However the chances are that the same 90% would admit to not being able to pass the driving test again if they had to retake it.
One problem is that after passing the driving test very few people go on to further improve their driving skills. Although the more someone drives the more they gain valuable experience of the roads and how to read potential dangers ahead, drivers get complacent and bad habits creep into their driving.
Another problem is that the roads are getting ever busier. In the last few years new types of roads and signs have been introduced like bus lanes and express lanes on motorways how many people who have been driving for over 10 years understand the correct procedures for these new road requirements?
Also cars have changed over the years to become much safer and efficient, do you understand how the modern car works differently from a car as little as 5 years ago?

The training