Help needed..... Currently undertaking a review of my companies Driving/Driver Risk Assessment (not mine). I have completed the Driving Risk Assessment but I have hit a problem trying to convince our managers that part of the Driver Assessment should include, for the drivers that have the highest risk, a formal driver evaluation (RoSPA etc), not to address their skill but their attitude to driving. Also if people use their own cars they need to produce insurance MOT etc.
There are three groups of driver:
1. Those who drive >30,000 miles/year and more than three times per week (sales team)
2. Those who drive <30,000 miles/year and less than three times per week (engineering team)
3. Office staff who undertake short trips to local suppliers etc.

In the overall view are staff in Group 1 "High" risk? Is their mileage/driving frequency high? Should they undergo additional training?
In trying to put control measures in place I have been told they are over the top, and no amount of statistical figures will persuade them to change their mind.

Any help is solving this attitude problem?

I've developed my own in-house training session using information supplied from the road safety charity Brake. www.brake.org.uk

They used to send out information packs and their web site is full of useful material.

They have produced a series of hard hitting videos. I have the original DVD from 3 or 4 years ago, but they have newer videos that can be downloaded from their web site.

www.brake.org.uk/resources/road-safety-videos.htm

These videos are only a few minutes long, but very powerful, mainly told by victims of accidents and their families. When I started these sessions I found people came into the room with the attitude of I don't want to be here, I've got better things to do. I start the session with one or two of these videos and found the attitude changed immediately because they are so well produced and have a powerful message. I then have there full attention for the session.

Suggest that if statistics are not working, you might be able to change the attitude if you download and email one of these videos to the relevant people. Send them a different one each week and see if it gets the desired effect.

If the controlling mind doesn't want to budge past the minimum legal requirements then they're not going to sign off your Risk Assessment. A valid driving licence is all that's required. For private cars, insurance and MOT etc. are the legal responsibility of the vehicle owner/driver.
You might want to consider e-learning tools as a cheaper option?

As an observation I note that most, if not all, the interventions for road mitigation is based on the road user ie employee. I wonder how many organisations review the type of vehicles they provide for staff - for example, are vehicles selected for their safety performance or cost? I think I know the answer. Do organisations review employee's driving hours, rest breaks, routes, weather conditions, etc?

People are driving more than 30k using their own vehicles?

If the company provide vehicles, then the risk belongs to the company who are in a position of control for everything except the actual driving.

If the employee provide their own vehicle, then the company have very little control. There is very limited legal implication on the company, who have effectively transferred most of the risk to the owner / driver, and his/her insurer.

Whilst you can insist on confirming paperwork, it is only the insurance which would be of concern, to avoid any liability in the absence of driver cover (and that would be only in certain circumstances).

The police will investigate any RTC or other breach, and if the car is driver-owned, any action is highly unlikely to go beyond the individual (and back to the company).

So why do more? The driver licensing mechanism is supposed to demonstrate competency.

Company car - different scenario, relating to higher degree of control. Although you have to ask why go further with the actual drivers than accepting national competency standard - ie. full driving licence.

Personally I agree with the elearning option. Much of the hype about the 'need' to do this that or the other with road risk is from organisations with a vested commercial interest in providing driver training or assessment.

Which is fine, if that is what the company want; it doesn't sound like this is the case here.