Free advice to help businesses reduce road accidents and cut fleet costs

Free advice for businesses on how to better manage their fleets and vehicles to reduce both costs and the risk of accidents is being made available through a new partnership between Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and Driving for Better Business (DfBB).

The DfBB programme offers online tools and resources, to take business owners, company directors and fleet managers through seven steps to better driver management.

The tookit is designed to help make long-term sustainable improvements in risk management that will lead to reductions in collisions, the ability to control operational costs, and the confidence to fulfil legal requirements.

It is free to use and contains useful online tools and resources to help businesses and organisations as they evaluate practices, strengthen culture enhanced performance, and demonstrate leadership in the management of work-related road risk.

TfWM, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), is responsible for monitoring and improving road safety while looking after the 23 busiest routes in the region, known as the Key Route Network.

DfBB is a government-backed National Highways programme to help employers in both the private and public sectors reduce work-related road risk, control the associated costs, and improve compliance with current legislation and guidance.

Darren Divall, regional road safety manager for TfWM, said: “Analysis of our regional road casualty figures show that between 2017 and 2021 there were 193 killed and seriously injured road casualties involving a goods vehicle.

“Alarmingly, over 60% of the casualties were pedestrians with 27% being the driver of the vehicle. These figures do not include those using a private car for work journeys.

“Far too many road users are killed or injured in collisions involving someone who is at work. Road safety is a shared responsibility, and we all have our part to play.

“TfWM is pleased to be working with National Highways and the DfBB team to offer this essential guidance and support to our local businesses and organisations. It is in all our interests that everyone has the chance to get it right.”

Simon Turner MARRM, campaign manager for Driving for Better Business added: “We often speak with people who are responsible for sending vehicles out on the road network without realising the legal, financial, and reputational damage that could be caused if things go wrong.

“Driving for work is as much a part of the health and safety regime as working at height or in confined spaces and travelling by road is often the riskiest part of a person’s job.

“Working with TfWM we can offer free information, resources, and online tools to anyone who has these responsibilities. Just a small amount of your time and a few clicks on the mouse is all it takes.”

To access the online free guidance and resources, businesses simply need to follow this link: https://www.tfwm.org.uk/plan-your-journey/ways-to-travel/driving-in-the-west-midlands/