Company Driver Training
Company Driver Training
At Positive Driving we provide minibus driver assessments and training to the MiDAS standard, offer driver improvement sessions, driver assessments and advanced driver training to companies and individuals
Fleet Driver Training Services.
For many, learning to pass the driving test is the only driver training they receive and yet around 2,800 people are killed on UK roads every year and many more are seriously injured. Around a third of those killed will be driving whilst at work.
When did you last run a risk assessment on your drivers?
When you`re in charge of a fleet of company vehicles, it`s imperative that you get your message across to your employees when it comes to safe driving. This has always been the most important area for fleet managers to address but with fuel prices rising all the time, it`s equally vital to convey the need for economical driving at all times.
Generally speaking, safe, smooth and economical driving go hand in hand and the benefits in financial terms are obvious to any business, irrespective of its size.
The benefits to your business can be most easily illustrated in terms of the speed in which your employees drive. When it comes to company cars, the temptation to exceed the speed limit is arguably greater than it is for any other driver. Unforeseen complications such as road works can make anyone late for an appointment and the desire to break the speed limit to try and compensate can become overwhelming.
Obviously there are huge safety issues with this style of driving but when it comes to fuel economy, the financial implications can become quite alarming. Over the years, countless studies have shown that the optimum speed as far as fuel efficiency is concerned is 55 miles per hour. At 60 miles per hour the average vehicle is 3% less efficient and that figure increases until you get to 80 miles an hour, when a vehicle can be up to 28% less economical.
Now do the maths and work out how much money can be wasted by driving at excessive speeds and you may find the figures to be quite alarming.
When it comes to the question of vehicle maintenance, you cannot expect your employees to carry out major servicing but they should be encouraged to do the basic, routine checks on their cars. Driving on underinflated tyres is not only dangerous, it can reduce fuel economy by up to 25% so this is another area that should be at the forefront of any fleet manager`s mind.
Safe driving is obviously imperative for a number of reasons but in pure financial terms, rising insurance costs make it vital that you get the safe driving message across.
If the worst happens and you have to make an insurance claim, there is the question of the vehicle excess. These are rising all the time to the point where a figure of £500 or more is not unusual. If the accident is your driver`s fault then you cannot recover the excess.
At a later stage, when your fleet insurance is due for renewal, any number of claims can increase your premium and this is another reason why the safe driving message has to get across.
As a final thought on vehicle accidents, you need to consider the potential loss of man hours if your employee is injured in any way. Statistics show some alarming figures with regards to short and long term absences and this can have a big effect on your initial sick pay and possibly your permanent health insurance in the worst cases.
As a company owner or fleet manager you need to get your message across with regards to safe and economical driving. Not only can you save money by buying, for example, a used Citroen or other popular vehicle instead of new, but you can employ a wide range of measures in keeping fleet costs to an absolute minimum. These should include regular refresher courses for your drivers to ensure accidents and the associated costs are minimised.