A fleet consultancy headed by one of the UK's best-known ex-fleet managers is partnering with The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) to spread the message of work-related road risk management to more fleets and provide them with risk management solutions.
RoSPA Fleet Safety relaunched recently, working with Fleet Managers' Friend (FMF Ltd) and it has seen engagement with the corporate sector increasing to record levels.
RoSPA can trace its history back 100 years and is at the heart of accident prevention in the UK and around the world. The relaunch spearheaded a host of advancements of its product offering across the board, which reflected its success to date and a demand from its clients to add more value.
FMF Ltd was launched two years ago by Paul Holmes, a former award-winning fleet manager, and the partnership has contributed to the surge in business for RoSPA Fleet Safety, with a string of new clients including Cancer Research UK, the Department for Work and Pensions, Lookers Fleet Services and Welsh Water.
FMF Ltd contributed to the relaunch of the fleet division of RoSPA and provides a useful fleet manager's insight as to how the charity can assist companies in managing their occupational road risk.
That work delivered business consultancy services in a diverse range of areas. Following last autumn's launch of RoSPA Fleet Safety, the organisation has seen:
- Record levels of contributions to accident prevention projects with the organisation winning additional fleet contracts
- The sales team completing a comprehensive programme of risk management awareness and training
- Core work-related road risk management training material reviewed and rewritten with the focus on new thinking to captivate businesses in readiness for an August launch.
Furthermore, work is underway to see how RoSPA Fleet Safety's range of risk management-focused solutions can complement the ever-growing use of vehicle-based safety technology, while all other products and services continue to be reviewed with a view to further enhancements.
Additionally, businesses working with RoSPA Fleet Safety to improve their occupational road risk management focus can feel confident that all profits generated are ploughed back by the charity into projects focussed on accident prevention on the roads and in homes.
Holmes, who spent 33 years as a fleet manager in charge of some of the UK's largest transport operations prior to launching FMF ltd, said: "RoSPA is the UK's and the world's best known name in accident prevention. It is now striving to become the premier work-related road safety provider in the fleet industry.
"RoSPA undertook a root and branch review of what it offered fleets and decided that major changes were required to deliver wide-ranging benefits to customers in a rapidly changing market sector.
"That work is paying significant dividends already, but there is more to come and FMF Ltd continues to work in partnership with RoSPA Fleet Safety to deliver further improvements and new solutions to meet the demands of customers."
Holmes added: "RoSPA Fleet Safety is operating at the cutting edge of work-related road safety in terms of the solutions it is delivering to fleets. However, an added value feature is that all profits are channelled into other accident prevention projects. That, I believe, is a major corporate social responsibility benefit for employers choosing to use the organisation."
Frances Richardson, director of operations at RoSPA, said: "We have made a significant investment in new systems and processes, to ensure RoSPA Fleet Safety stays ahead of a quickly-changing market.
"Technology is playing an ever-increasing role in fleet operations, notably around vehicle telematics and effective management of data output to improve road safety, by delivery of relevant driver improvement interventions.
"FMF Ltd has helped RoSPA Fleet Safety introduce fresh ideas, particularly in respect in being able to give clear insight into how fleet managers think and what they require in respect of work-related road safety solutions."
Lookers Fleet Services, the Harrogate-based vehicle leasing and fleet management specialist, is using RoSPA Fleet Safety to deliver its recently launched 'Lookers DriveSafe' programme.
Andrew Pace, head of Lookers Fleet Services, said: "RoSPA was the obvious choice to deliver our new initiative. 'Lookers DriveSafe' will work with a client to identify risks within their fleet and then create a solution, from computer-based training to on-road coaching, in order to minimise those risks. Ultimately, our goal is to reduce road accidents and injuries and thus save lives.
"Fleet managers across the UK are realising there is a growing need to do more than the usual driver licence checks. Yes, licence checks form a fundamental part of the bigger picture - but in isolation they do little to identify a driver's risk awareness or behaviour behind the wheel. Road accidents while at work are the biggest cause of occupation fatality in the UK."
A former police officer, Pace added: "Statistics prove that road accidents while at work, are the biggest cause of occupational fatality in the UK. I have witnessed first-hand the devastating effects of informing someone about the loss of a loved one has. Therefore driver training and education is something no business should ignore. Yes, there is a financial cost to providing training - but it is a fraction of the cost, in so many ways, when compared to a fatality.
"RoSPA has been instrumental in shaping our society for the better, preventing millions of deaths and serious injuries along the way, influencing legislation and changing attitudes surrounding accidents. There are a plethora of companies in the market offering driver risk assessment and training services; however, no organisation is better qualified or done more to promote safer roads in the UK than RoSPA."
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