The Freight Transport Association has announced that GreenRoad, a leader in driver performance and road safety management, is the latest partner of the association’s innovative Van Excellence scheme.

GreenRoad is designed to significantly reduce crash incidents and cut fuel consumption by enhancing driver performance while behind the wheel and a typical GreenRoad customer sees up to a 10% reduction in fuel consumption and emissions, as well as a 50% reduction on collision costs.  

The Van Excellence scheme aims to raise standards and improve the image of the UK’s growing van sector and includes a tough accreditation system and a strict code of practice. It is backed by many household names and is a standard set by van operators for use by van operators, formalising “best working” practices already used by leading companies in the commercial vehicle sector.  

Mark Cartwright, FTA’s Van Project Manager, said:

“We are delighted to have GreenRoad on board as partners of Van Excellence.  As leaders in driver performance and safety management they bring a huge amount of value to the scheme in terms of experience and expertise, and their support is invaluable.”

For further information on the Van Excellence scheme visit www.fta.co.uk

ESP installation chart

Electronic Stability Control (ESP) must now be standard on all new cars and light commercial vehicles in the EU from the 1st November 2011. ESP will also become compulsory in all new EU vehicles from 31st October 2014 and this is part of the European Commission strategy to improve road safety.

Bosch developed ESP and in 1995 it was the first company worldwide to start series production. By 2010, 41 per cent of all cars and light commercial vehicles weighing less than six metric tons worldwide were equipped with the innovative safety system.

The Electronic Stability Program uses intelligent sensors to check 25 times per second whether the driver’s steering input matches the direction of travel and if it detects the vehicle is likely to become unstable, it intervenes by reducing the engine torque in order to restore stability. If that doesn’t correct the issue, it then additionally brakes individual wheels and also incorporates with the functions of antilock braking (ABS) and traction control.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) latest poll has concluded that the proposed European MOT rules represent a road safety danger issue, with 60 per cent of motorists saying the first MOT should continue to be carried out after three years.

The new European Union directive is proposing we move to a minimum of four years for the first test and then every two years thereafter, rather than the annual MOT test in the UK. In Europe this is known as the four-two cycle.

In the UK, according to data released by the IAM, 27 per cent of all three year-year old cars fail their first MOT however in France, the failure rate for the first MOT (after 4 years) is only 6 per cent. The survey also found that most motorists are comfortable with the current UK MOT test procedure with 63 per cent believing the test will always pick up potential dangers.

IAM chief executive, Simon Best, said,”In a time when people are struggling financially, the MOT seems to be one cost they are happy to pay. The IAM is wary of abandoning our well-established and accepted cycle of MOT testing. The poll suggest that most motorists are happy with it”.

DIAmond Advanced Motorists, the company that organises and administers driving tests on behalf of the Driving Instructors Association (DIA) has recommended some motorway driving tips to reduce stress and improve road safety. Motorways are statistically the safest roads but as we know, when things do go wrong, it usually involves more than one vehicle and serious injuries.

The motorway driving tips;  

1. Plan your journey a day before you travel and have an alternative route if there is heavy traffic.
2. Check out the weather forecast and leave a reasonable time for your journey, with a stop every 2-3 hours to stretch your legs. Recent research has found that 15-20% of motorway incidents is caused by driver fatigue.
3. Do the basic maintenance checks on your vehicle – check the lights are working, tyre pressures, oil level, windscreen washer and water levels.
4. If you are an experienced motorway driver remember that many other drivers around you many not be, so keep on the lookout for the unexpected.
5. When joining a motorway on a slip road try and make sure your speed is the same as the traffic on the main carriageway when you pull onto the motorway.
6. Make sure you fully understand the motorway road signs before you set out (The Highway Code has all the details).
7. Take a few minutes to get use to the speed of the motorway and always look as far ahead as possible for potential hazards i.e. “is that car likely to pull out to overtake the lorry?”.
8. Keep your lane discipline and stay in the left hand lane (number 1) for normal driving - don’t hog the middle or outer overtaking lanes.
9. Check your mirrors regularly to see what is happening behind you before giving a signal and allow your signal to flash a few times before pulling out into another lane. Don’t forget to check your blind spot by a quick sideways look.
10. When overtaking move out briskly past the slower vehicles and only return to the left once you can see the vehicle you have passed in your rear-view mirror i.e. don’t “cut them up”. 
11. Don’t tailgate the vehicle in front as this is one of the most common causes of accidents on motorways. You should leave at least a two- to three-second gap between you and the vehicle in front.
12. When approaching a junction watch out for drivers who want to exit the motorway and may have left it too late, as they may make a risky manoeuvre.
13. Be aware that other cars or vans may be joining from the same junction so allow them to join by changing your speed or changing lanes.
14. Plan to leave the motorway in good time as the first exit sign is usually one mile from the exit slip road and sometimes two miles on busier exit junctions. The exit sign is repeated at the half mile stage and at the exit, so make sure you are in the left hand lane with plenty of time to exit.
15. And finally, when you have left the motorway do check your speed. You have been travelling at high speeds for some time and 30mph may appear “slow” when in fact it is the legal limit on most urban roads. 

Weather forecasters are predicting that yet again, the UK will experience another harsh winter with temperatures colder than average and more ice and snow expected. A recent YouGov poll of senior decision makers at small businesses found that 58% said their “business suffered last year” as a result of the snow across the UK. The report also found that 74% of employees were affected by the snowy conditions and 26% didn’t make it into work at all.

The online tyre retailer, mytyres.co.uk, is recommending that small businesses think about fitting winter tyres for those employees most affected. An example of where winter tyres helped a business continue trading effectively was the fitting of these specialist tyres to a major online supermarket grocer delivery service’s vehicles. The company said that fitting winter tyres improved the safety for its drivers and provided improved grip and stability, helping them make their deliveries.

To give you an idea of how winter tyres are more effective, the British Tyre Manufacturer’s Association found that a car braking at 60mph on a wet road (with the temperature at 5 degrees Celsius) stopped five metres shorter, which is equivalent to more than one car length. So if it is essential that your drivers are mobile this winter it may well be worth considering fitting winter tyres for extra tyre safety?

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has just launched the 48th edition of their Yearbook of Road Tranport Law 2010. If you are a commercial fleet operator and run HGVs or other commercial vehicles and vans, then this book should keep you fully informed on all aspects of road transport legislation, health and safety and duty of care.

The 2010 yearbox has been written by a team of FTA experts and includes details of the new fixed penalty system introduced in May 2009 and used by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) and the police in roadside enforcement. The 2010 Yeabook costs £37.00 for FTA members or £79 for non-members with discounts for multiple copies. The FTA also publishes Van Drivers’ Handbook and the Dangerous Goods Drivers’ Handbook.

Visit www.shop.fta.co.uk to order.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has provided some advice for motorists travelling over the Christmas break when visiting family and friends. With an estimated 12 million drivers preparing to take to the road in their cars and vans, the IAM is advising drivers to allow extra time for their journey and to avoid being over-cautious, which can sometimes create additional problems on the road.

IAM Chief Examiner,Peter Rodger, said,” Too many drivers lack the skills and experience to tackle snow and icy conditions. Our message to drivers is to assess the type of road you’re driving on. Going too fast is dangerous, but so too is going too slowly”.

He went onto say,”In snow you should drive slowly enough so you can stop, but also fast enough to give you the all important momentum to deal with hills so you can avoid sliding back and getting stuck. Give yourself plenty of time. And prepare your car. Listen to the travel and weather bulletins and plan your route”.

The IAM has also advised as follows.

1. Is your journey really necessary? If it is plan it and give yourself plenty of time and tell someone your intended route and how long you think it will take.
2. Clean your windscreen and windows using a demisting preparation. Make sure the washer bottle is topped up and also that it has a winter additive to stop it freezing. Check your windscreen wipers are working correctly.
3. Ensure that all lights, brake lights and indicators are working properly and that the lenses are clean.
4. Ensure your tyres are correctly inflated and are in good condition.
5. Keep your speed down and increase the safety gap between you and and the vehicle in front of you. It can take up to ten times longer to stop when the road is wet or icy.

A useful tool to use before setting off for your journey is the live Trafficmaster traffic road mapping service on Comparecontracthire.com. This covers the whole of the UK and shows you “live road” speeds so you can avoid potential hotspots.

Have a safe journey and a merry Xmas.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has commented that the recently published road casualty figures for Scotland shows the need for drivers and motorcyclists to consider refresher training to improve their driving skills.

The main causes of fatal road accidents in Scotland include the following;

- Loss of control of the vehicle was mentioned in 36% of all cases where factors were recorded.

- Failing to look properly was the second most common factor at 22%.

Some of the others included being careless, reckless or in a hurry, travelling too fast for the conditions, failing to judge another person’s path or speed and being impared by alcohol. 

Kathleen Braidwood, RoSPA’s road safety officer for Scotland said,”These detailed road casualty figures show that driver or rider errors are the most commonly cited factors in reported road accidents in Scotland. They highlight a real need to promote a lifelong learning approach to training for drivers and motorcyclists – for individuals but also for companies employing people who drive in the course of work”.

For details of the RoSPA assessments for both experienced drivers and young drivers visit these websites:

www.roadar.org.uk/drivers/safety/eda.htm or

www.roadar.org.uk/drivers/yda.htm

Volkswagen has been voted as the best carmaker in Europe by visitors to RoadTestReports.co.uk, a car review website.

The website provides a forum for motorists to discuss and report on the merits and drawbacks of the cars they drive. Volkswagen was the top performer when a poll of some of the 140,000 monthly visitors were asked for their opinion on the best carmaker, taking 35 per cent of the vote. Interestingly Skoda came second and SEAT came third and both are also part of the VW Group.

THINK! is the road safety campaign that has been launched by the Department for Transport. The campaign is urging parents to make sure their children follow the “Be Bright, Be Seen” advice this winter, especially as the clocks go back tonight.

In 2008, 712 children aged six to 11 were killed or seriously injured while walking in Great Britain and 155 children of the same age were killed or injured while cycling.

Road Safety Minister, Paul Clark said, “Britain’s roads are among the safest in the world and we have reduced the number of children killed while walking or cycling by 54% since the mid-1990s. However, more than 850 child pedestrians and cyclists were killed or seriously injured on our roads and we are determined to do more to keep children as safe as possible”.

An advertising campaign will start shortly in cinemas and on TV and the advice for parents from the THINK! campaign is below, as well as a link to the DfT video on further road safety tips.

Be Bright, Be Seen – Road Safety Advice

• Brightly coloured or fluorescent clothing show up well in daylight and at dusk
  
• If you’re out by the roads when it’s dark, wear reflective gear to make sure you can be seen in car headlights. Reflective vests, sashes or wrist bands work well. Remember, fluorescent clothing doesn’t work after dark.
  
• Clip on reflectors, arm bands and stickers on your outfit or school bag will improve your visibility.
  
• It is the law to have clean and working lights on your bike – red at the back and white at the front – you must also fit your bike with red rear reflectors.   Fitting spoke reflectors will also help you to be seen in the dark.
  
• ‘Being Bright’ isn’t the only way to be safer. If you’re out at night, choose routes and crossing places that are well lit and remember to always use the Green Cross Code – Find the safest place to cross, Stop, Look and Listen.

The ‘Tales of the Road’ website can be found at http://direct.gov.uk/talesoftheroad.  

It has interactive games for children as well as educational material for teachers and parents