Category: Fleet News

With the clocks having gone back, many people will now be making more of their car journeys in the dark.

However, new research shows some may be risking their own safety and that of other road users as they take these trips.

 

Driving when tired

According to a poll of 2,055 motorists by motorway services firm Roadchef, 32 per cent admitted to regularly getting behind the wheel in the dark while tired.

Furthermore, 42 per cent said they don’t always stop for a break on longer night-time journeys, with 51 per cent instead relying on rolling the windows down to keep them alert and 45 per cent resorting to loud music.

Spokesperson for road safety charity Brake Samuel Nahk said: “As the nights get longer, it is vital that drivers are fully aware of the dangers of driving in the dark, and that driving tired can be fatal.”

The RAC warns that reduced light in the autumn and winter can increase melatonin levels in human beings, resulting in more tiredness than usual. It recommends always stopping for a break should drowsiness occur and perhaps taking an advanced driving course to gain more experience of driving in the dark.

Jenny Smith, general manager for Tele-Gence, commented: “Evening and night-time trips may be unavoidable if you’re driving for business, but it’s essential to keep safety at the top of the agenda. If you feel tired, always stop to recharge your batteries. It’s as simple as that.”

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Work-related stress could be causing a worrying number of accidents on Britain’s roads, according to a new study.

Research carried out by Lightfoot found 12 per cent of fleet drivers had cited stress caused by their job as the main reason for them having an accident.

This was followed by 12 per cent reporting phone calls during their journeys. As well as four per cent explaining that a work-related email had been the primary cause of their crash.

 

Feeling the pressure

The news suggests many business motorists may be having their journeys impinged upon by office issues. As well as colleagues trying to get hold of them while they are behind the wheel.

In fact, a quarter of drivers said they had been involved in a collision during a work-related journey or their commute. With recent figures reporting that one in three road deaths now involve a vehicle being driven for work.

Furthermore, a Brake and Direct Line survey discovered 39 per cent of drivers had lost concentration at the wheel due to work-related stress.

Mark Roberts, founder of Lightfoot, said: “Fleet staff may be feeling under pressure to get to meetings within certain time-frames, something that could lead to risky driving.”

“Work-related stress resulting in road accidents should be a red flag for all businesses operating company cars and fleet vehicles,” he added.

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “This is truly shocking news. We appreciate that many businesses have deadlines and targets to meet, but this should not come at the expense of their employees and other road users. We would urge companies to ensure staff taking to the roads have the time and space they need to complete every journey safely.”

 

Driving cars with uncomfortable seats could be costing the UK’s economy dearly, according to new research from Volvo.

It carried out a study of more than 2,000 people who drive for work and discovered more than a third have taken at least one day off in the past year alone because of back pain caused by their seats.

A week’s worth of pain

One in ten workers was forced to be absent from their job for a full week, with nearly a third saying they were forced to seek help from a doctor or physiotherapist as a result.

With so many people needing their cars as part of their employment, this could mean a loss of productivity for the UK economy amounting to £8.8 billion a year.

One in five people surveyed said they had gone so far as to swap their vehicle in the past because the seats were so uncomfortable, while the majority suggested manufacturers should pay more attention to lumbar support when they are constructing car seats.

Volvo Car UK’s Kristian Elvefors said: “Back pain from poor-quality car seats is a bigger problem than many think. Not only is it costing the UK economy billions, but poor-quality car seats are also placing an unnecessary burden on the NHS.”

Out of the 32.4 million people employed in Britain, a whopping 68 per cent use their car either for work purposes or at least to get there in the first place.

Many will undoubtedly now be wishing their company uses Volvos, as the brand has reminded us it was one of the first carmakers to incorporate spinal research into its seat design and continues to perfect it to this day.

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “Back pain is a really serious issue in Britain and it’s amazing what a difference comfortable seats can make, especially for fleet drivers who are behind the wheel for hours each day.”

If you spend a lot of time on the road, perhaps as a fleet driver, then the chances are you listen to music to pass the time.

However, you might need to avoid the faster tunes – and in particular rock music – if you want to stop yourself taking risks on the roads.

Higher tempo equals more risk?

That’s the discovery of new research from the South China University of Technology, which found drivers listening to higher tempo tunes are more likely to carry out erratic manoeuvres than those listening to slower tracks.

For the study, they asked motorists to spend 20 minutes in a driving simulator of a six-lane motorway listening to rock, easy listening music or silence.

Although the average number of lane changes was 70, this increased to a whopping 140 when the rock music was played. When the tempo was especially high, the average speed also increased by up to five miles per hour.

In fact, the songs above around 120 beats per minute were found to have a negative impact on driving style – with Green Day’s American Idiot taking the dubious honour of ‘most dangerous’ song at 189 BPM.

There was also a list of ‘least dangerous’ tracks, which was topped by Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven.

Qiang Zeng from the South China University of Technology suggested the study’s findings could lead to “training and management measures, especially for transport operators, and could mitigate the risk of driver distraction”.

It comes after Goodyear discovered last month that Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now is the UK’s favourite driving song of all time.

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “It’s fascinating that the music we listen to could have such an impact on the way we drive. Perhaps it might be time to update your playlist to include more Led Zeppelin!”

Autumn has officially announced itself, with the Met Office forced to issue a yellow weather warning for rain as the remnants of a storm batter parts of the UK.

Drivers, in particular, have been urged to take extra care on their journeys today (September 24^th 2019), with the potential for standing floodwater and even a risk to life set to remain until 23:00.

Treacherous conditions on the roads

Heavy downpours, gusty winds and thunderstorms could make conditions on the roads especially treacherous during rush hour, which is when many fleet drivers are likely to be commuting home.

Although this weather front that comes from what remains of the Bermuda Hurricane Humberto will eventually die away, it is likely to be followed by another band of wind and rain for the coming days.

Offering advice for motorists unable to avoid going out in inclement weather, IAM RoadSmart’s Richard Gladman said the most important thing to do is keep a braking distance of at least four seconds between yourself and the vehicle in front, as this should allow time to stop in the event of an emergency.

He also recommended:

• Checking windscreens and wipers prior to each trip
• Ensuring headlights are on if the wipers are, as a general rule of thumb
• Being prepared for aquaplaning, and not to make any sudden steering motions should it occur
• Not driving over any road covered in water unless absolutely certain of the depth.

“Take extra care and if possible, avoid driving through standing water. If you’re in any doubt about the depth or surface underneath a flood, then it’s best not to take any chances,” Mr Gladman concluded.

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “We wholeheartedly agree with this advice and urge everyone to be especially careful during this period of poor weather. While many of our drivers may not be able to avoid being on the roads, they can take as many measures as they can to keep themselves safe.”