Did you know it’s BRAKE’s Road Safety Week in November?

The charity, which works to promote the road safety of at-work drivers and riders, is holding its headline annual event from 19^th to 25^th November.

This year’s theme is the safety of all two-wheeled road users, from the perspective of both riders and those that they share the road with. This has been chosen, in part, due to the rapid increase in the number of cyclists in the UK and the fact that these road users are among the most vulnerable. The statistics* are sobering:

• More than a third of people killed or seriously injured on UK roads are those travelling by bike (either bicycle or motorcycle).
• More than 100 bike riders are injured every day in preventable crashes.
• In 2016 there were 18,477 cyclist casualties and 19,297 motorcyclist casualties.
• Motorcyclists are 38 times more likely to be killed in a crash than car occupants per mile ridden.

To find out how your organisation can get involved in the UK’s biggest road safety event and help to make the roads safer for all users, visit: http://www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk/

Useful resources

At CLM we take the safety of our own and our client’s drivers and riders very seriously. That’s why we’ve developed a range of resources that can help both fleet decision-makers and drivers to minimise the risks associated with travelling for work. Here’s a brief summary of some of the key pieces, with links to download the guides that would be useful to you:

Drivers’ responsibilities

This guide covers a wide range of topics, focusing on the responsibilities of everyone that’s expected to drive for work. These include maintaining vehicle road-worthiness, avoiding fatigue, obeying road laws, reporting accidents, submitting licences for checking and vehicle security. Download

Guide to tyre safety

Tyres are critical to the safety of any vehicle. This guide gives comprehensive information on the different types of tyre and their suitability, as well as help in assessing tyre wear, damage and correct inflation. Download

Vehicle maintenance checklist

This handy infographic provides drivers with all of the checks and basic maintenance tasks that they should be carrying out on a regular basis to ensure road-worthiness. Download

What to do following an accident

Accidents do happen, and this resource provides an easy to follow ten-point checklist outlining how to stay safe, who to contact and what information to record in the aftermath. Download

Don’t drive tired

This advice for drivers highlights some of the most likely scenarios when fatigue can occur, as well as providing tips on how to stay alert behind the wheel. Download

Taking your car abroad

Whenever you drive outside of the UK it’s important that you understand the subtle differences in road laws and any items that are compulsory to carry (such as high visibility jackets) in the countries you are visiting. This guide has checklists of the essential things to consider before you travel and what to take with you. Download

Winter driving tips

Driving in darker, wetter and colder conditions requires additional safety checks and an adjusted driving style. These tips will help anyone driving for business or pleasure to remain safe during the winter months. Download

*All statistics: Reported road casualties Great Britain: 2016, Department for Transport, 2017