Work drivers 'should be kept safe'
Date: 12/02/2008 10:18:31
Employers in the city of York are being urged to take steps to improve the driving habits of their workers - and not just to avoid car insurance claims.
The local council is launching a campaign entitled 'Don't get blood on your hands' and holding a free breakfast event later this month to raise awareness of the need for good work drivers.
This is in response to figures that have shown a third of all road deaths involve a work vehicle.
A campaign information pack will be distributed among firms comprising a guide to road safety at work, risk assessment advice, a five-point plan and other useful information.
Tom Foxton, the council's road safety project officer, said: "Work-related road safety issues sometimes get overlooked, but employers are legally required to protect the health and safety of all employees while they are at work and this includes driving."
He added that employers should be familiar with the law and ensure they have considered the risks facing their employees.
Earlier findings by road safety charity Brake highlighted that one in ten work drivers admitted to having fallen asleep at the wheel in the past year.