Recruitment and induction
All employees will have differing skill levels and experience when it comes to driving. For most jobs, driving may only make up a very small component. It is unrealistic to choose prospective employees simply based on driving records and their safety awareness. Indeed the most suitable candidate for the job may have a rather poor driving record.
It's important to identify this during recruitment and address it with training.
Safe driving should be included in the job description for a position that requires considerable amounts of driving.
Monitor and evaluate
To begin monitoring and evaluating it is necessary to first establish a criteria. This should incorporate collecting, analysing, and reporting on your organisation's crash history, including all incidents no matter how minor.
- List all vehicle types including make, model and safety features.
- Monitor mileage of individual drivers.
- Driver details should include age, workplace group and type of work.
Analysing the crash history should lead to common occurrences that can be identified and targeted.
- Certain vehicle types over-represented?
- Regular locations where crashes occur?
- Pattern in driver characteristics?
- Are rates of crashes going up or down?
- What percentage of accidents is ‘at fault’?
1. Ensure all employees are aware of reporting procedure.
2. Include glove box crash kit incorporating first aid kit in all vehicles, and personal protective equipment such as reflective jackets, cones, and a safety triangle.
Education
The major component of any successful policy launch is to make continual awareness of the policy. It is essential that the objectives are clearly stated, and that reporting is circulated to keep employees up to date on its progress.
These regular updates can be communicated through staff newsletters, noticeboards, annual reports, or other publications or videos if your organisation produces them. A range of free posters and brochures on issues such as alcohol, fatigue, speed and rest areas are available on this website and can be used to support your message.
Prior to long weekends or other peak holiday periods, email road safety hints to staff to reinforce the safety message. By doing so you are also influencing a safe driving approach outside of work.
Utilising your safe driving policy outside the organisation can also raise your organisation’s profile and reinforce its good relations with the community. This can be achieved through articles in the local newspaper, trade journals and by entering award schemes.
It is important to note that driving training is not the answer to all driving incidents. If your organisation wishes to undertake driver training the emphasis should be placed on reduced risk, education and having a proactive safety approach. you can download the poster from the Files box below.
Recognition and performance management
By offering incentives to your employees you are actively encouraging them to take a greater interest in safe driving and ads a motivating force. To make this more efficient and effective, this can be incorporated into your company’s performance management evaluation.
Recognition seems to be most effective when the desired outcome achieved is set within a relatively short period of time within driver groups. Anything too long tends to see interest in the program wane. Recognition also has the power to prevent accidents.
Examples of recognition that can be placed within your policy include:
- Low key awards for driver groups that display improved safety results, or even to those who maintain their vehicles to a high standard.
- Certificates.
- Movie tickets.
- Contribution to a course to a obtain a higher driving qualification.
- Encouraging notes on file and in an employee's performance evaluation and recognition by the 'champion' of the safe driving policy.
Continuous improvement
Your Safer Driving Policy once implemented requires continued support and improvement from both ends of your organisation – from the top down and the bottom up.
Action Plan – Setting a realistic action plan that specifies a timetable for improving safety is critical. A common starting goal is to reduce the rate of accidents for the first year by 10 per cent, and to include a planned approach to achieve this.
Undertaking self-audits on the progress of your policy at regular intervals will also ensure it is progressing effectively. An example of how to do a self-audit on your organisation is available in the ‘Resources’ section.