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MAY 2015 PRO INSTALLER
PRO MOTORING
www.proinstaller.co.uk
86% of vehicle
fleets have
experienced
an accident
in past year
The Institute of Advanced Motorists’ Drive & Survive
division has been investigating the true extent of
company car accidents and found a shocking 86%
of fleets have experienced an accident in the past
12 months, while 100% of fleets have had an
accident where one of their drivers was ‘at fault’.
The findings come in
IAM Drive & Survive’s
first report of the year,
titled ‘An analysis of
bent metal amongst
company fleets.’
IAM Drive & Survive
surveyed fleet professionals
within 100 businesses on
their approach to and experience of accidents involving
their fleet.
The report stated: “The
research shows that many
companies are not addressing correctly this significant
and avoidable overhead by
putting in place sufficient
measures to reduce the risk
of incidents happening, or
more worryingly, happening
again to the same drivers.”
Commissioned in autumn
2014, some some of the
top-line figures revealed by
the report include:
• Only 14% of fleets confirmed they had not had
any vehicle incidents in
their fleet in the last 12
months
• Every fleet had suffered
on-road incidents that were
caused by their driver, i.e.
an ‘at fault’ incident
• Nearly half of all fleets
said the average cost of
repair per vehicle was
over £1,000
• Only 33% of fleets said
at-fault drivers faced some
sort of punitive measure,
i.e. fine, excess payments,
etc
• Over half said they didn’t
offer any post-incident
driver training as a means
of reducing the risk of
repeat incidents
The report added: “Few
provide any driver training
as a way of reducing the
chance of the driver having
another incident. Is this a
good situation for company,
fleet, vehicle or driver?”
In 2014 IAM Drive &
Survive conducted a survey
in 2014 which revealed
72% of people who drove
for business reasons had
been offered no training by
their employer at all, even
though 44% of them said
they would welcome the
opportunity.
According to Government
figures, between 2008 and
2013, 3,493 people were
killed in accidents involving a driver/rider driving
for work, including 515 in
2013.
And Driving for Better
Business says up to one in
three road crashes involves
a vehicle being driven for
work. It added that every
week, around 200 road
deaths and serious injuries
involve someone at work.
IAM Drive & Survive also
discovered that drivers of
company vehicles are 25%
more likely than company
drivers using their own
vehicles to have a minor
accident.
Sarah Sillars, IAM chief
executive officer, said: “Accidents involving company
car drivers represent a sizeable proportion of accidents
road users to ensure those
individuals’ driving conduct is of the highest order.
Often companies have full
processes and procedures
‘Fleet operators have a duty to
their businesses, employees
and other road users to ensure
those individuals’ driving conduct
is of the highest order’
on UK roads and it’s a problem which needs tackling in
a meaningful way.
“Fleet operators have
a duty to their businesses, employees and other
for Health and Safety, HR
and Environmental best
practice; but often none in
place when the employees
get behind the wheel of a
car or van?”
A WHEEL WITH A DIFFERENCE
Motor Wheel Service
Distribution (MWSD)
has launched the xlite
ET45, a forged aluminium wheel designed specifically for three-axle,
multi-functional, inloader semi-trailers.
Available in size 11.75”
x 22.5”, weighing 24.4kg
and with a load capacity of
5,000kg, the 10 stud wheel
has been specifically designed for glass transportation companies throughout
Europe across both OE and
replacement markets. The
xlite ET45 is available in a
machined finish.
John Ellis, managing director at MWSD, said: “There is
very specific demand from
a number of key European
trailer manufacturers and
operators, all of whom
require several specific
safety and performance
requirements for the unique
operational nature of this
particular industry.
“We have worked closely
with Wheels India to design
a forged aluminium product
that surpasses these requirements, and our exceptional
technical team can advise
customers whether the ET45
wheel, or another similar
model from the portfolio, is
the perfect option for their
day-to-day operations.”
xlite wheels, which are
five times stronger and 40%
lighter than the standard
steel equivalent, are forged
from a single aluminium
billet using a computerised
numeric control machine
to produce a higher
degree of production
accuracy. Wheels are
available in 17.5, 19.5,
22.5 and 24.5 inch sizes.
MWSD is at the forefront
of the commercial vehicle
wheel safety campaign.
Last year the company
successfully lobbied for
several key inclusions in the
new European Union (EU)
Roadworthiness Package,
which became law in May
2014 and must be implemented by Member States
by May 2017.