Road safety as a business

IAM RoadSmart is about to carry out a survey with the business driving community to find out more about how they manage their fleet and driver risk, including how they stay compliant with regulations and the law.

Some 6,000 fleet managers and health and safety managers will receive this survey. It’s quick to complete and we are looking forward to a good response.

One of the questions is “Do you have a driver training budget?” I joined IAM RoadSmart 15 months ago. I joined as I am passionate about the cause and what a great opportunity to spread an amazing message.

In one of my first weeks I was shown some slides telling me about the marketplace and I remember being shocked by a particular statistic. I can’t remember the exact number but it was something like 29% of companies who had responded to a previous survey admitted to not having a driver risk management programme. I was amazed at this as I knew that it’s against the law not to. Let alone how companies look after their staff. I couldn’t believe that so many companies run the gauntlet of chance out there on the roads every single day.

It wasn’t long before my amazement turned to excitement – what an opportunity to make a difference!

I’ve been involved now spreading the message, providing support to companies that are working in this space. It’s fantastic when you get clients or potential clients who are as passionate about driver safety as I am, particularly if they weren’t that way when you first met. This has happened many times and I always enjoy it.

I think the previous statistic was a few years old. I’m looking forward to finding out if we’ve moved things on, seeing if myself and my team’s work is effective. 

My prediction for this survey? I’m going with 15%. Watch this space to find out in a month or so’s time.

Ben Stables, IAM RoadSmart Sales Team Manager