Driving for Work: Managing Speed
[stylebox type=”info”]PRAISE Thematic Report 8[/stylebox]
This report offers employers an insight into tackling speeding amongst employees driving for work. Speeding can be defined as driving in excess of legally set speed limits and/or driving at speeds which are inappropriate to the prevailing conditions. Speeding is the main cause of road traffic collisions, deaths and serious injury. Loss of control of the driving task, and thus potentially of the vehicle, arises when the demands of the driving task exceed the available capability of the driver. As speed increases the task demand rises and the driver’s capability is reduced. Employers have a clear responsibility to reduce incentives to speeding and to raise understanding of the serious consequences it can have. Part one looks at the impact that speeding can have and presents levels of compliance with speed limits for different road user types. The second part focuses on management issues covering topics from journey planning to payment schemes with advice on how such practices can help to manage speeding in the work context. The third part of the Thematic Report looks at what employers can do from risk assessment of potential speeders and identification of training – including also eco driving synergies – to the promotion of safer and more economic driving. It also looks at what can be done to rehabilitate speeding offenders. The final part looks specifically at different speed management technologies which can also be a useful additional tool in managing speed. A policy mix is needed to effectively tackle speeding and this report aims to present recommendations to reduce speeding across the board amongst those who are driving for work.