For fleet managers, the weather is never a mere background concern. It is a critical safety consideration which can affect the safety of their drivers, the efficiency of the operation, and their own legal liabilities.
Planning for weather related challenges forms an essential component of 21st Century fleet management, especially in areas where ice, wind, rain, and storms are commonplace.
Knowing how to approach these events safely is of the utmost importance.
Icy roads
Ice is perhaps the most insidious threat to UK drivers, none more so than those driving for work, who must be out in all conditions.
Slippery roads need grippy vehicles, so fleet managers should make sure that theirs are fitted with winter tyres and that drivers are trained appropriately.
Measures such as gentle breaking and smooth acceleration, alongside maintaining safe following distances, can greatly reduce the risk of a crash in icy conditions.
Alongside these on the road measures, careful planning in the back of house is also essential. Avoiding roads known to be especially icy, careful scheduling and if necessary, delaying journeys, can further prevent incidents and reduce risks.
Maintenance is the final factor in ice-incident protection. Checking on battery performance, brake function, and tread depth are all critical components of a winter safety strategy and fleet managers must establish a regular routine of checks to ensure vehicles are up to par.
Keeping a log of this is also wise as, if a snarl up does occur, it is vital to be able to demonstrate that the correct maintenance was done.
Windswept conditions
Gusty wind might not leave a visible mark on our roads like ice, but it can be a silent killer nonetheless. Strong winds can destabilise, or even topple, large delivery vehicles with their ample flat surfaces.
Fleet managers should carefully monitor wind forecasts, especially on routes which involve long, open stretches, high passes, bridges, or coastal roads.
Again, driver training is important here. Drivers should know to keep a firm grip on the wheel and to remain alert for the possibility of strong, unexpected gusts.
Adequately securing the load in open delivery vehicles is also a key component of a wind safety strategy. Items should not simply be piled on, rather they must be securely strapped down lest they blow off and pose a risk to both the fleet driver and other road users around them.
Proper load securing is a non-negotiable aspect of fleet safety management, even in non windy conditions.
Here comes the rain again
Rain is an all too common facet of life in the UK and it can pose great dangers on the roads. Lowered visibility, aquaplaning, and longer stopping distances are the main hazards which fleet managers need to be aware of by ensuring that windscreen wipers are in good condition, headlights are properly functioning, and again, that tyres have sufficient tread depth.
Encouraging drivers to increase following distances and reduce speed in wet conditions is also critical.
Rain also highlights the importance of good digital tools in fleet management. GPS systems which show the weather, telematics for driver behaviour monitoring, and communication channels between the road and the office can make all the difference between a safe journey and a costly incident.
Summer dangers
A common misconception is that, as we approach the warmer months, weather related dangers on the road simply disappear.
This could not be further from the truth.
Even in summer, rainstorms can suddenly occur and in our rare heatwaves, asphalt can melt making roads slippery and hard to control a vehicle on.
Blinding sun can also dazzle drivers, causing them to lose sight of the road and its hazards. A good fleet safety strategy must maintain its vigilance year-round, not seasonally.
Safe fleet futures
The UK’s weather is famously unpredictable, but good weather planning with foresight, preparation, and driver support can bring its risks into line.
Well maintained vehicles, driven by trained and confident drivers, are far less likely to be involved in a crash. Both in winter and summer, weather related hazards need not be an afterthought on the road, rather they must form a central and well thought out part of any fleet manager’s safety strategy.
John Kushnick is legal director at National Accident Helpline
