25 July 2007.

STAFFORD’S MP TO SPEAK AT CONFERENCE:
CUTTING CASUALTIES INVOLVING DRIVING FOR WORK

Stafford’s Labour MP is one of the guest speakers at a conference in London in October designed to cut deaths and serious injuries involving motorists who drive for a living. The conference is called “Cutting casualties involving driving for work”, it takes place on Tuesday 9 October and is organized by PACTS (Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety).

David Kidney explains:

“Many people have jobs requiring them to drive – bus, coach and heavy commercial vehicle drivers. Then there are all those who drive a car to or from a meeting or appointment. Each year up to a third of all road traffic incidents involve someone who is at work at the time.

“The new Coroners Bill announced by the Government offers one opportunity to improve work-related road safety. It would be helpful if coroners can be given wider investigatory powers where an employee has died in a road crash. What we really need is a more systematic approach to work-related road safety.

“So besides new legislation, there are also things employers can do to help ensure the safety of their employees whilst driving at work. Such as implementing a Health & Safety policy, which incorporates a driving at work policy, routinely undertaking and acting on the findings of risk assessments dealing with driving at work and also ensuring journey timetables are realistic, incorporating the essential need for adequate rest periods for the drivers.

“Such processes as these, and major insurers like Norwich Union endorse them, would save lives and avert serious injuries on our roads. Norwich Union publishes a “10 Essential Elements” leaflet aimed at raising awareness amongst employers. The conference will look at all these issues and judge how best to support effective action.”

08 October 2007.

MP CALLS FOR ACTION TO CUT ROAD CASUALTIES INVOLVING DRIVING FOR WORK

On Tuesday (9 October) Stafford’s Labour MP David Kidney is speaking at a Transport Safety conference in central London on ways to cut deaths and serious injuries on our roads related to driving for work. The conference, organised by PACTS (Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety), is at the Royal Society of Arts and is called “Cutting casualties involving driving for work”.

The MP says that around one in three road deaths may involve someone driving while at work:
“We have one of the best road safety records in the world, but still as many as 20 deaths a week are related to the 8 million or so motorists who drive for work. There is health and safety guidance available to employers about their responsibilities and what they can do to improve road safety amongst their workers. But there is evidence that many companies are not aware of their responsibilities and do not follow some of the basic steps set out in the guidance.

“In my speech at the conference, I call for a strong partnership between Government, employers and other involved organisations to help reduce road death and serious injuries amongst, and caused by, motorists who drive for work. With a co-ordinated effort, we can bring up the performance of all employers to the practice of the best in taking responsibility for safe driving by employees.

“The way to reduce casualties is to ensure that employers, especially fleet managers, understand their health and safety responsibilities, have risk management systems to protect drivers from unfair pressures, keep vehicles in a safe condition and plan safer journeys. The goal of saving many more lives on our roads every year is worth working for, and I hope this conference will provoke the action that is needed to achieve it”

PACTS is an independent transport safety research charity. David Kidney is a past Chair.