With travel restrictions being gradually eased as the country emerges from COVID-19, IAM RoadSmart has published its latest fleet safety guide to help businesses get their employees back on the roads as safely as possible.
Full of valuable advice from leading experts at IAM RoadSmart – the UK’s largest independent road safety charity – the guide outlines best practice for getting companies, drivers, fleet managers and vehicles back on track as the country’s economy begins its recovery from the pandemic.
The wide-ranging guide touches on numerous areas of concern as some drivers prepare to get back behind the wheel for the first time in nearly four months, including: the end of the furlough period; the importance of training; mental health; stressful journeys, fatigue and driver confidence.
To further support businesses in managing risk as drivers return to the roads, IAM RoadSmart has also been developing new e-learning modules for deployment via CHOICES – an online driver risk management and e-learning portal for business users. Launched in April, CHOICES covers everything from licence checking to driver risk profiling and e-learning. The charity’s aim is that businesses and their drivers will continue to benefit from online training solutions while on-road driver training remains a challenge for many.
Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart’s Director of Policy & Research, said:
“If you’re worried about your drivers at the moment we certainly can help with refresher-type courses, giving invaluable feedback enabling you to interact with your workforce and have a conversation. Online is now well established and people are looking at this again. It’s a good way to keep fresh.”
“This is a hugely challenging time for people returning to work and for employers too,”
states Tony Greenidge, IAM RoadSmart’s interim CEO.
“Following government advice to use public transport for essential journeys only, unimagined new pressures are being experienced by those commuting by car after switching from public transport as they fear for their safety amid the COVID-19 outbreak,”
added Greenidge.
“We do not yet know how this will affect congestion levels. There are concerns for fleet managers over vehicles, over how to ensure employees keep safe when sharing cars or meeting people, and with drivers who have lost confidence or are understandably under new stresses and strains.”
The guide, 'COVID-19 2020: Driving business back to work – safely and profitably’, is now live and can be download here: https://www.iamcommercial.co.uk/whitepapers/
To find out more about CHOICES please visit: https://www.iamcommercial.co.uk/e-learning/