• Department for Transport figures reveal that the number of people killed in road crashes fell by 12% from 2,538 in 2008 to 2,222 in 2009. 
• In accidents reported to the police 26,096 were killed or seriously injured in 2009, 6% fewer than in 2008. 
• There were also just over 222,000 road casualties in Britain in 2009, 4% less than in 2008.
• The number of deaths among car users in 2009 was 1.059, 16% less than in the previous year. 
• The number seriously injured in accidents reported to the police fell by 6% to 10,053 and the total number of reported casualties among car users were 143,412, 4% lower than 2008.
• There were 163,554 road accidents reported to the police involving personal injury in 2009, 4% fewer than in 2008.
• Of these, 21,997 accidents involved serious injuries, 5% fewer than in 2008 (23,121).

It is estimated that between a third and a quarter of all road traffic crashes involve someone who was at work at the time. The number of occupational drivers injured in crashes is a similar percentage of the total figure - therefore accounting for up to around 82,000 staff injuries.

The cost of handling British road crashes is estimated at £18 billion per year - 1.5% of GDP - according to recent data from the Campaign for Safe Road Design, of which RoadSafe is a member. The figure includes the costs to emergency services and health and social care costs, particularly the costs of long term care to those disabled in road crashes. However, it excludes the substantial disruption and economic cost of road accidents, which amount to many billions more.

In simple terms, driving is not only dangerous for employees, when they have crashes the direct and indirect costs are huge.

Costs can be broken down into many areas - some financial others not quantifiable but nevertheless a cost to business and almost certainly hitting bottom line profits. Industry data suggests that average crash repair costs are around £700-£750 per insurance claim, but the Health and Safety Executive has calculated that for every £1 recoverable, between £8 and £36 may be lost to a company in uninsured costs.

Additionally, businesses must factor in the cost of a police investigation into any work-related crash and the business disruption that will cause.

Finally, companies can ill-afford the cost of failing to comply with the raft of legislation governing at-work driving. This ranges from health and safety laws to the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 and the Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008, which comes into effect on January 16, 2009.

Businesses should also remember that, in the eyes of the law, they are responsible for all staff who drive on business whether it is in a company-provided or a privately-owned vehicle.

Therefore, with corporate budgets continually under the microscope a quality risk management programme can significantly reduce fleet operating costs without any impact on the performance of the fleet.

A wide range of case studies highlighting how companies in different business sectors are managing occupational road risk and how that has led to them becoming ‘business champions’ can be accessed at:



By managing occupational road risk and putting in place a cycle of continuous road safety improvement a company’s fleet efficiency will be improved as vehicle downtime and staff sickness levels will be significantly reduced, resulting in a boost to the organisation’s safety image  - after all the company’s drivers are also its ambassadors. Further information is also available at:

The cost of not managing occupational road risk

• Hire car administration
• Hire car cost
• Claims administration
• High tyre wear
• Increased insurance premiums
• High fuel consumption
• Possible legal action
• Towing charges
• Missed appointments
• Poor company image
• Late deliveries
• Lost staff time for injuries
• Stressed staff
• Poor vehicle residual values

The benefits of managing occupational road risk

• A reduction in insurance premiums of at least 15% depending on previous claims record, fleet size and composition at a time when insurance premiums are escalating at the rate of 20-30% annually.
• Fuel consumption improvements of at least 7%
• Reductions of at least 5% in wear and tear on tyres, brakes and clutches etc.
• Improved vehicle value of a minimum of 4% if a trained driver drives the car.
• Improved business performance
• Fewer accidents
• Less need for investigation
• Less paperwork
• Less lost time
• Less requirement for work rescheduling
• Lower training costs
• Fewer missed orders
• Improved staff morale
• Reduced insurance costs
• Improved public image
• Protection from prosecution