Paul Hollick, chief executive officer at driver coaching and engagement specialist Lightfoot, has welcomed the Government’s pilot of a National Work-Related Safety Charter, but said employers must focus on driver behaviour and engagement if the initiative is to deliver lasting reductions in road risk.
The Charter, a core pillar of the Government’s 2026 National Road Safety Strategy, establishes a new voluntary benchmark for UK businesses whose staff drive for work.
It is intended to reduce the significant number of road casualties involving people driving for work by increasing employer accountability for road risk and encouraging board-level oversight of driver safety.
Hollick said: “Employers are uniquely positioned to influence safer outcomes, particularly with additional training, as most drivers have not had any further training since passing their tests.
“We applaud the Government in recognising that driving for work is stressful and demanding.”
He pointed to the rapid expansion of the last-mile delivery sector as a clear example of where work-related road risk is intensifying, with drivers often operating under sustained pressure from deadlines and targets and limited safety protection.
Hollick added: “But there are many other examples like this when it comes to driving for work.”
Drawing on Lightfoot’s experience across UK fleets, Hollick said meaningful improvements in road safety depend on engaging drivers directly rather than relying on policy or technology alone.
“Lightfoot’s experience across UK fleets has proved that engaging drivers must be at the heart of any effective road safety strategy, and that policies and technology deliver the greatest impact when drivers understand and actively participate in initiatives.
“That’s why we support the Work-Related Safety Charter’s emphasis on good practice, accountability and culture change, and the Government’s holistic approach to all aspects of road safety is the right strategy.
“We also believe the charter should place explicit emphasis on driver engagement, behavioural change and real-world outcomes, as these are the factors most closely linked to sustained reductions in work-related road risk.
“Every employer’s objective, as it is at Lightfoot, should be to get every driver home safely at night, and this aligns with the charter’s principles.”
