@sjl.insuranceIt’s road safety week! Organised by Brake, the road safety charity. We all drive too fast sometimes… “I didn’t notice I was going so fast!” “Everyone else is doing it so why can’t I?” “A few miles an hour won’t make much difference will it?” But every time we driver faster than the speed limit, or too fast for the road conditions, we increase the risk of a crash – and we increase the chance that someone we love will be killed or hurt on a road. Whoever you are, however you travel, We need to talk about SPEED. As the Official Insurance Partner to the Fleet Operators Recognition Scheme we recognize the far-reaching consequences of speeding, impacting individuals and businesses alike ♬ lady (hear me tonight) – Instrumental – no/vox & karaokey & Tazzy
Why is Road Safety Week important?
- 5 people die on UK roads every day.
- Every day, 6 children are killed or seriously injured on UK roads.
- Every year, more than 1,500 people are killed on UK roads and more than 25,000 people suffer with serious injuries.
- 1 in 4 fatal crashes involve someone driving too fast.
Let’s talk about speed
The faster a vehicle is travelling the longer it takes to stop, and the greater risk of a crash. Speed and stopping distances don’t increase at the same rate. Small increases in speed result in bigger increases in stopping distance. At higher speeds a driver has less time to react to a hazard on the road ahead of them. A vehicle can travel a long way in the few seconds it take a driver to notice and react to any danger. Slowing down gives the driver more time to avoid a crash.
At higher speeds, vehicles crash with greater force. When a vehicle crashes, it’s the amount of kinetic energy that the car has which determines the force of the impact. A small increase in speed can lead to much higher increases in kinetic energy. For example a crash at 30mph has twice as much energy and destructive potential as a crash at 20mph.
The formula is relatively simple: The higher the speed, the longer the stopping distance, the harder the crash and the greater risk of death and injury.
What can you do as a fleet operator?
- Show that you are a responsible employer that puts people first and cares about their safety – help your drivers understand the risks associated with driving too fast and take action to protect themselves and others.
- Review your vehicle procurement policies – are you buying the safest vehicles with lifesaving features to help drivers keep within the speed limits. Do your drivers understand the technology their vehicles are fitted with?
- Review schedules and routes – make sure your drivers aren’t being encouraged to speed, and where possible plan routes that avoid places where people walk and cycle.
See the infographic below for the facts.
