Category: Fleet News

Future Fleet Forum, the conference aimed at Fleet and Transport Managers in the public sector, took place this week on Wednesday 29 June. Paul Wilkes attended on behalf of FORS, introducing the accreditation scheme to delegates and taking questions from the audience. Paul Wilkes said:

“It was a great atmosphere and I was really pleased to be able to speak to some of our existing members as well as introducing FORS to some potential new members. It was a really interesting day with some really insightful presentations. Guests were mainly local authorities and fleets that service local authorities plus some manufacturers.”

With over a decade of experience in fleet management, Paul manages the day to day running of the scheme. The single FORS standard allows any fleet operator to demonstrate that they manage a quality fleet operation focused on safety, efficiency and reduced emissions, and this is something Paul talked about in his session.

Fleet operators have a responsibility to better manage their fleets; to remain legal, to maintain environmental awareness and above all, be safe. This is particularly important in urban areas where vehicles and vulnerable road users often come into close contact.

Paul discussed the benefits for clients who specify the use of FORS accredited companies in their contracts. These clients know that contracting with FORS operators show they are serious about the safety of vulnerable road users (cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists) and serious about training their employees, especially drivers. It also shows that they care about the environment and can provide evidence of how they have already reduced their emissions and have committed to long term environmental improvements.

The event was a huge success and provided an opportunity for FORS to be promoted to the local authority sector.

Rachel Pearson is our FORS specialist at Fuel Card Services – for more details on what we can offer FORS members – please click here.

Correctly positioning the headrest in a vehicle can provide a considerable boost to safety for motorists, but many people remain unaware of this fact, new research has shown.

According to a survey of 1,000 UK motorists carried out by road safety charity Brake on behalf of breakdown services provider Green Flag, almost two-thirds (63 per cent) of drivers are unaware of the appropriate position for a vehicle headrest in order to limit the risk of serious injury in the event of a crash.

Furthermore, 64 per cent of respondents stated they do not check their headrest before embarking on a journey.

Failure to properly set up the headrest can mean the neck and head do not receive the proper support should the car come to an unexpected and swift stop or suffer a rear-end shunt.

This can lead to an increased likelihood of individuals suffering injuries like whiplash – an injury that combined costs European insurers £7.5 billion in claims annually.

Rob Miles, director of car insurance at Direct Line, said: “The headrest’s primary function may be confused as being one of comfort, when they are, in fact, an important safety feature – but only when used correctly.

“Whiplash can occur even in low-speed crashes, so adjusting your headrest correctly is a simple precaution worth taking.”

Alice Bailey, campaigns and communications officer for Brake, added that all drivers should take the time to understand the correct positioning for the headrests in their vehicles, as the simple act of doing so can help to prevent years of unnecessary pain in the event of an accident.

The seatbelt can be attributed as one of the most important safety innovations in all of motoring history and, in 2016, celebrated its 50th anniversary!

Legislation making it mandatory for all new cars to be fitted with seatbelts came into effect in the UK in 1966 and revolutionised road safety for the nation’s drivers and passengers alike. It later became compulsory for all drivers to wear a seatbelt whilst driving in 1983. This simple but effective safety measure can significantly reduce your risk of serious injury. Wearing a seat belt is just one of the ways drivers can improve road safety.

When may you drive without wearing your seatbelt?

According to the UK government website, there are specific instances where you are not required to wear a seatbelt by law. These situations are if you are:

• A reversing driver.
• Using a police or fire and rescue vehicle.
• Investigating a fault in a trade vehicle.
• A licensed taxi driver either carrying passengers or looking for customers.
• Driving a goods vehicle with no more than 50 metres between stops.
• A person who owns a ‘Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing’.

Do you have to wear a seatbelt in the back seat?

Yes, it is a legal requirement for rear passengers to wear a seatbelt too.

Does seatbelt legislation work?

For the past ten years, official government statistics have shown seatbelt use by all vehicle occupants has stood well above 90 per cent, with the latest data for 2021 showing seatbelt use is now habitual for 94.8 per cent of all road users.

Road safety minister Andrew Jones commented: “Many families have been spared the heartbreak of a death or serious injury of a loved one as a result of a simple action at the start of each trip.

“While the vast majority of people do wear seatbelts in both the front and back seats, there are still some who don’t and I urge all drivers and passengers to make sure they are safely belted in, even on the shortest of journeys.”

Fine for not wearing a seatbelt

Individuals that fail to belt up could be opening themselves not only to an increased risk of injury in the case of an accident, but also to on-the-spot fines, the minister warned. This penalty is often £100, but could range up to £500 for repeat offenders.

Mr Jones concluded that, while campaigns to highlight the risks of failing to wear a seatbelt have changed somewhat during the last five decades, what has stayed the same is the undoubted benefits to safety that this simple technology has delivered.

Taking the time to put on a seatbelt is therefore great advice that motorists up and down the country should continue to take heed of in the decades to come.

How else can driver safety be improved?

Businesses who use the roads for work should always be seeking ways to improve driver safety. Luckily, there’s an obvious solution that encourages drivers to be safer in their vehicles and also gives fleet managers more visibility of their operations – Tele-Gence.

Tele-Gence is an advanced telematics service that is designed to equip fleets with the very best in market technology to improve driver safety and reduce costs. You can keep track of your drivers’ whereabouts whilst receiving stats relating to how safely they are driving. All events of harsh braking, cornering and acceleration can be flagged in the easy-to-use online dashboard.

Get in touch today to find out more about how Tele-Gence could improve safety for your business and your drivers!