LOOKERS’ fleet division has called in the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) to deliver its new Lookers DriveSafe programme to cut the risk of deaths or serious injuries across their client base and managed fleet.
Recent Government statistics show that motor traffic is continuing to increase with an estimated 311 billion vehicle miles driven on UK roads in 2014, up 2.4% on previous years. Deaths and serious injuries have continued to rise on UK roads by 4% and 5% respectively over the same period.
The risk to drivers is clearly evident with 797 car occupant fatalities in 2014, accounting for 45% of total road deaths that year in the UK alone.
Andrew Pace, Head of Lookers Fleet Services said: “RoSPA were the obvious choice to deliver our new ‘Lookers DriveSafe’ initiative. Lookers DriveSafe will work with the client to identify risks within their fleet and then create a solution, from computer-based training to on-road coaching, in order to minimise those risks. Ultimately, our goal is to reduce road accidents and injuries and thus save lives.
“For almost 100 years, RoSPA has been quietly working behind the scenes to change both legislation and attitudes surrounding accidents. From the compulsory wearing of seatbelts and the campaign to stop drink driving, to the more recent ban on handheld mobile phones behind the wheel, RoSPA has been instrumental in shaping our society for the better, preventing millions of deaths and serious injuries along the way.
“Fleet managers across the UK are realising there is a growing need to do more than the usual driver licence checks. Yes, licence checks form a fundamental part of the bigger picture – but in isolation they do little to identify a driver’s risk awareness or behaviour behind the wheel.
“Road accidents while at work are the biggest cause of occupation fatality in the UK.”
Rick Wood, head of training at RoSPA Fleet Safety (RFS) said: “The team at RFS are very excited by this opportunity as we think this new programme from Lookers plc and RoSPA will make a positive contribution to improving the driving standards of the companies, clients and drivers we work with in the coming months and years.”
