Many people drive as part of their work. If you do, this will possibly be the most dangerous part of your job. The way you plan your journey and drive is essential for your own safety.
The more you drive, the greater your exposure to the risk of being involved in a road crash. A few simple rules will help reduce that risk, not only for your benefit, but also for the benefit of your job and employer. The cost of vehicle repair, higher insurance premiums and staff sickness due to injury is a burden on business.
- Plan your journey. If you are travelling to somewhere unfamiliar make sure you have any maps and other information to hand. Stop in a safe place if you need to read a map or directions - don't try to read and drive. If you have a sat-nav system in your car do not be distracted by watching the screen rather than the road. Also do not blindly follow the instructions given by the system as they may be inaccurate and put you in a dangerous position
- Set off in plenty of time. Rushing because you are late is likely to stress you out and increase your risk of being involved in a crash
- If you are driving a long distance, plan to take a minimum of a 15-minute break every two hours
- If you are tired take a break. Opening a window or turning up the radio won't work. Find a safe place to park (not the hard shoulder of a motorway) and have a short nap - around 15 minutes. Don't be tempted to try and carry on because you're nearly there
- Don't use a mobile phone while you are driving. Recent research has found that talking on a mobile phone when driving is more dangerous than driving when drunk
- Make sure your vehicle is regularly serviced.
- Consider taking advanced driver training through the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) or other organisation. The skills you will learn can reduce the chances of you being involved in a crash and make driving less stressful.
Encourage your employer to provide driver training for you through schemes such as the IAM Fleet or RoSPA Fleet Training.
Respect North Lincolnshire's roads
Respect your life
