Why road safety matters

The COVID-19 crisis has shown us all the importance of safe, clean, and liveable streets. They are urgent for public health, our climate, and the wellbeing of the most vulnerable members of our society. This year, the UN Global Road Safety Week is encouraging lower speed limits in areas where people and traffic mix. With the theme #Love30, the UN is carrying out the message that setting the speed limit to 30 km/h in cities, towns and villages will not only make the streets more liveable but safer too.

As an employer, you are responsible for the health and safety of your employees. It is your duty to evaluate all the risks your employees may be exposed to and put in place preventive and protective measures. Vehicles are also classified as a ‘workplace’ in many countries, and therefore every company must view fleet safety as an essential consideration [i].

Here a few steps to consider:

When it comes to company car drivers, driver safety is key. According to research, the crash and casualty rate of company car drivers is around 50% higher than for private motorists. Over 90% of all accidents are caused by driver error, such as poor anticipation, inappropriate reaction to a hazard, or violation of road traffic laws [ii]. There are many advantages to making drivers' health and safety a top priority. Safer driving (and fewer accidents) can help reduce costs related to insurance premiums, sick leave, damages and repairs. Directing company car drivers to respect speed limits and putting their phones away while driving is essential.

One of the ways your company can ensure better road safety is by reporting road safety incidents and using these insights to drive the number of fleet accidents down. That’s where LeasePlan can step in to help. The first step in our process is to assess our clients’ insurance fleet strategy and their specific challenges dealing with accidents and vehicle damages. We start by capturing their data or looking at their claims and accident data on My Fleet reporting, and by performing a thorough root-cause analysis while benchmarking our clients against their peers. Based on this, we can provide specific recommendations tailored to their situation.

An effective fleet safety strategy is a good way to ensure safer roads for all, and actively reducing the number of accidents is a crucial element of such a strategy. This can be achieved by implementing an accident prevention programme, which should include measures such as educating drivers about responsible and safety-conscious behaviour and making sure that the vehicles they drive are safe. The figure below shows how a prevention programme can help improve safety in your fleet step by step:

At LeasePlan, aiming to make our fleet the safest in the industry and we’re serious about accelerating change by calling for low-speed communities and working towards zero road traffic injuries by 2030. Our SafePlan Zero strategy includes content, tools, guidelines and reports on the three major safety areas: the driver, the vehicle and fleet management. Join us in our journey to zero by learning more about the top driving risks and how to avoid them. Also check out our white paper on how an active fleet safety programme can contribute to a healthy business, and visit the UN’s Road Safety Week website for more information about the #Love30 campaign and what you can do locally to support it.