New research has revealed that 80% of business fleets do not have a road safety policy in place for their drivers.
The survey, conducted by IAM RoadSmart, also reveals that 48% of firms do not carry out regular vehicle safety checks, while over half (53%) do not have a health and safety officer responsible for fleet risk management in place.
It also finds that 65% of fleets do not use telematics or GPS tracking systems, and a further 39% of professional drivers have never been offered driver or rider training or assessment.
Nicholas Lyes, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and standards, said: “These findings are certainly alarming, especially in light of recent government data showing that progress on bringing down fatal and serious injuries has stalled.
“While most businesses will take road safety seriously, it’s clear that some need to do significantly more to limit the risk that their drivers pose both to their own safety and that of other road users.
“Bad business driving not only poses a risk to health and safety but also threatens to inflict reputational harm on businesses and cause repair costs and insurance premiums to soar. Investing in regular driver training is one of the best ways for firms to promote good road safety, staff well-being and keep costs down.”
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