Code of Conduct for Commercial Drivers

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Nicholas Henderson
8 years ago
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1 Code of Conduct for Commercial Drivers RoadDriver 2011

2 Safe Use of Vehicles Watch your Speed Drive within the speed limit at all times. You should drive at speeds that are safe for the conditions, recognising that, in some circumstances (such as rain or fog) this may be well below the posted speed limit. When considering what is a safe speed? you should give consideration not only to weather and road conditions, but also to the potential impact of a collision on roadusers who are inherently vulnerable, such as pedestrians and cyclists. In addition, you should slow down and pay particular attention when in high risk areas such as schools, hospitals, and old people s homes and especially at pedestrian crossings. Numerous studies have researched the effect of reducing travel speed and the relationship between velocity at impact and risk. These studies show that as impact speed increases so do the number and severity of injuries. Furthermore, there are several studies showing correlation between Speed at impact and injury severity for pedestrians. Hit a child at 30 miles per hour and the child has an 80% chance of survival. Hit the same child at 40 miles per hour and he or she has an 80% chance of dying. SEATBELTS AND OTHER SAFETY FEATURES Wear a seatbelt all times, and ensure that any passengers do the same. If your vehicle is not fitted with daytime running lights; Drive with your sidelights on at all times. Adjust your headrests so the top of the rest is level with the top of your head. Research has shown that vehicles that use their running lights are involved in fewer accidents. Seatbelts and other safety features are proven to dramatically reduce the risk of death and injury in the event of a crash. Managing Your RoadDriver Account Walkthrough 1

3 ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND DRIVING Safe Use of Vehicles Avoid any consumption of alcohol before and during your journey. You should avoid drinking alcohol for at least eight hours prior to driving and under no circumstances be over the legal limit. One alcohol drink is one too many. Never drive under the influence of medications or other drugs that are likely to affect your alertness or driving performance. Do not drive if you are unfit to do so. You should contact your line or fleet Manager if you are unsure about your fitness to drive. Research shows that impairment begins long before a person reaches the blood alcohol concentration level necessary to be guilty of drunken driving. If you drive at twice the legal alcohol limit you are at least 30 times more likely to cause a road crash, than a driver who hasn't been drinking. LACK OF SLEEP AND DRIVING Plan realistic driving schedules, stop for appropriate rest breaks, take a powernap if you are feeling tired and avoid driving during normal sleeping hours. A good night s sleep is required before any long trip. A general rule to remember is driving more than 16 hours since your last night s sleep is equivalent to driving with increased blood alcohol levels. If you are concerned about your level of fatigue, you should contact your line or fleet manager. Driving when tired can be as dangerous as drink-driving. Tiredness and fatigue can often affect your driving ability long before you even notice you re getting tired. Fatigue related crashes are often more severe than others because driver's reaction times are delayed and they often fail to make any maneuvers in time to avoid a crash. Managing Your RoadDriver Account Walkthrough 2

Never drive under the influence of medications or other drugs that are likely to affect your alertness or driving performance. Do not drive if you are unfit to do so.

4 Safe Use of Vehicles Fitness to Drive Driving a vehicle is a complex task involving perception, good judgment, adequate response time, and reasonable physical capability. Fitness to drive involves having all of these capacities, and not having any condition which may impair you, either temporarily or permanently. Driving while ill or unwell can impair your judgement and slow your reactions. Therefore, your chances of being involved in an accident considerably increases. If you are concerned about your health or wellbeing, you should contact your line or fleet manager. USE OF MOBILE PHONES The use of hands-free mobile phones should be kept to a minimum when driving. The use of hand-held mobile phones is illegal and must not be used at all when driving. Allow calls to go to message bank, or if a call must be taken, pull over and park in a safe legal place before answering the call. The use of mobile phones while driving is akin to driving while drunk. Your chances of being involved in an accident considerably increases. Talking on the phone has significant impacts on car control and safety. The associated lack of concentration leads to actions such as driving around corners too fast and delayed braking. You re many times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash while using a mobile phone. Managing Your RoadDriver Account Walkthrough 3

Driving while ill or unwell can impair your judgement and slow your reactions. Therefore, your chances of being involved in an accident considerably increases.

5 Safe Use of Vehicles COMPLYING WITH RULES OF THE ROAD Driving is probably the most dangerous work activity that an employee can do. Studies show that about 20 people are killed and 250 seriously injured every week in crashes involving someone who was using the road for work purposes. If you are driving a commercial vehicle, you need to: Check your vehicle prior to the journey to ensure that your vehicle is within safe operating conditions. Checks should include proper inflation of tyres; clean windows, mirrors properly adjusted, brakes, lights, windscreen wipers, and wash jets are in working order. Report any defects immediately to your line manager. Hold a valid Drivers Licence for the class of vehicle you are driving. Carry your licence at all times. Adhere to the Highway Code Rules. Drive within or below the stated speed limits. Be mindful of others and limit the use of compression brakes or other noisy practices in residential areas. Keep your distance; Vehicles should have at least a two second gap between them. It is good practice to increase the two second gap to three when fully loaded and six in wet road conditions. Most motorists are unaware of how your vehicle has to be driven at roundabouts, junctions etc. Be vigilant, check your mirrors and make allowances for them. When reversing, if in doubt get out and check behind, seek help if necessary. Inform your line manager of any speeding fines or endorsements. Inform your line manager of any near misses whether your fault or not. When practical you must inform your line manager of any accidents or road incidents involving your vehicle. COURTEOUS DRIVING RoadDriver promotes courteous driving and encourages you to drive carefully and defensively. This includes driving appropriately for the road conditions, driving courteously by letting other vehicles merge and being patient of other driver s mistakes and misdemeanours. Also being extra vigilant around pedestrians and giving a wide berth to cyclists and motor cyclists. Managing Your RoadDriver Account Walkthrough 4

If you are driving a commercial vehicle, you need to: Check your vehicle prior to the journey to ensure that your vehicle is within safe operating conditions.

6 What Employers should do Safe Use of Vehicles Employers Responsibilities Company Directors, Senior Managers and line managers should set a good example by driving safely and appropriately. Ensure that all employees comply with current traffic legislation and are aware that the company expects everyone who drives for work to follow the Company s Drive for Work - Road Safety Policy. Aim of the Policy The Company will provide employees with a Safe and Healthy Working Environment which includes motor vehicles. The Company will manage and assess any risks to employees, and ensure as far as is reasonably practical, that employees do not endanger themselves or the public through work related driving activities. The company commits to: a) Provide a thorough induction to the company's road safety policies and procedures for new drivers including the RoadDriver Safety Scheme. b) Maintain all company owned and operated vehicles in a safe, clean, and road-worthy condition to ensure the maximum safety of the driver and other road users. c) Carry out a full service on all vehicles according to manufacturers' recommendations d) Undergo regular risk assessment and ensure that drivers are not put under unrealistic time delivery or travel pressures. e) Check that employees do not drive under conditions which are unsafe and/or likely to create an unsafe environment, physical distress, fatigue, or endangerment. f) Ensure that the Company and its employees comply with all of the obligations imposed on them by law. g) Treat all drivers who are subject to an incident report with respect and fairness and without fear of punitive action. h) Address driver safety concerns seriously and appropriately. i) Provide appropriate driver safety training in response to an incident report or need. j) Monitor performance to ensure informed decisions are made about the effectiveness of the company s work-related road safety policy including the RoadDriver Safety Scheme ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The success of the RoadDriver Monitoring Scheme is dependent upon the commitment of the Company, its Drivers, and Fleet Managers to adhere to our Commercial Drivers Safety Code of Conduct. Therefore, please ensure that your drivers comply with the Code of Conduct and follow the advice given herein. In joining the RoadDriver Commercial Fleet Monitoring Scheme, the company acknowledges and agrees to commit sufficient resources to administer the scheme and further agrees to uphold the spirit and content of the RoadDriver Safety Code of Conduct. Managing Your RoadDriver Account Walkthrough 5

Aim of the Policy The Company will provide employees with a Safe and Healthy Working Environment which includes motor vehicles.

Full Spectrum Print Media Limited DRIVING AT WORK POLICY

Full Spectrum Print Media Limited DRIVING AT WORK POLICY 1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of this policy is to ensure that adequate controls are in place to protect both members of staff and the company