LIVES: Road Safety Week is run by Brake
Brake are urging fleet operators to sign up to take part in this year’s national Road Safety Week (November 18-24).
The road safety charity are supplying a free action pack to those who enrol, helping them to promote life-saving messages to staff and the wider community.
Brake’s message comes after government statistics revealed five people are killed and 63 seriously injured every day on UK roads.
Furthermore, one in four serious road casualties are in crashes involving at-work drivers.
Road Safety Week is the UK’s biggest road safety event, coordinated annually by the charity Brake and involving thousands of organisations, schools and communities.
This year it is headline sponsored by Romex and Specsavers, with the main theme as ‘tune in to road safety’.
Employers can run activities during the week that focus on any road safety issues.
However, Brake are particularly aiming to raise awareness about the vital importance of avoiding distractions at the wheel.
Organisations are urged to log on to www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk to get ideas on what they can do, and register to receive an e-action pack with free downloadable resources and advice.
Julie Townsend, Chief Executive of Brake, said: “Every year many employers seize the opportunity of Road Safety Week to make a difference to the safety of their staff and the wider community.
“At-work drivers are involved in a huge proportion of serious road crashes.
“These crashes cause terrible and preventable suffering, and they cost businesses dearly.
“However, we know from our long-running experience of working with employers that developing robust policies alongside a safe driving culture can make a massive difference to the safety of at-work drivers, and organisations’ bottom line.
“Road Safety Week is the ideal time for organisations to get serious about at-work driver safety, or step up existing work.
“This year we’re particularly calling on employers to promote the ‘tune in’ message to tackle driver distractions.”
Now in its 17th year, Road Safety Week is often used by employers to run road safety workshops or campaigns to promote a safe driving culture among employees.
It is also a chance to engage customers and local communities in road safety, such as by working with local schools and colleges or displaying road safety banners.
A free webinar is also available for sign-up, to help businesses get involved and run activities on the tune in theme.
‘Eliminating driver distractions: making the most of Road Safety Week 2013′ takes place on September 10, at 2pm-3.15pm.
It will offer advice on engaging staff in Road Safety Week and tackling driver distraction.
To register, contact Joe at corporatewebinar@brake.org.uk or 01484 559909.
Image courtesy of Rekio, with thanks.
