Talking numbers can of course detract from the fact that each and every one of these incidents is a tragedy, and that the emotional and traumatic effects of an accident are unquantifiable. However, many companies fail to realise that with a small investment in risk management and driver education, much can be done to reduce the rate, the severity and the cost of accidents on our roads.
It is generally accepted that the hidden financial costs associated with vehicle accidents are usually at least 10 times that of the 'bent metal' cost. Research by the HSE into workplace accidents in general*, suggests that this could be even greater. The HSE states that for every £1 recovered through insurance, between £8 and £36 may be lost via uninsured costs.
What is undoubted is that the monetary cost of vehicle damage is dwarfed by personal injury costs, time off work, lost business, replacement vehicles and management time spent dealing with the incident. The list goes on.
Quite apart from a desire to safeguard employees from injury, trauma or worse, it is evident that it makes good financial sense to proactively manage work related road risks as well as considering the legal ones.
* Health and Safety Executive, The Costs of Accidents at Work HSG96, www.hse.gov.uk
Some interesting statistics
- About a quarter of all vehicle miles travelled annually on Britain's roads are for work purposes (excluding commuting).1
- There are an estimated 3 million company cars on the roads and roughly 1 in 3 will be involved in an accident each year.2
- Company drivers who drive more than 80% of their annual mileage on work related journeys have more than 50% more injury accidents than similar drivers who do no work related mileage.2
- The annual risk of dying in a road accident while driving for business reasons is significantly greater than the risk of dying as a result of all other workplace accidents.
- Every week around 200 road deaths and serious injuries involves someone at work.
- About 300 people are killed each year as a result of drivers falling asleep at the wheel. About 4 in 10 tirednessrelated crashes involve someone driving a commercial vehicle.2
- Work-related road accidents are the biggest cause of work-related accidental death. Between 800 and 1000 people are killed annually in work-related road traffic accidents compared to approximately 250 fatalities due to accidents notified annually under the Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR).
- Business drivers have collision rates that are 30 - 40% higher than those of private drivers.
1 National Travel Survey
2 DFT Road Research Report No. 51
